Two Big Beautiful Boo- Kitty Ears?
by Prismatic Dawn
Summary: A simple action governed only by chance can completely change the relationship between two people. Ruby Rose and Blake Belladonna start their lives at Beacon Academy just a little bit differently. A Ladybug story. Cover art by senapon on DeviantArt.
1. Chapter 1

Walking into her new dorm room Ruby Rose happily hummed along to one of her favorite songs; the music playing loudly on her custom made headphones. The sun was just beginning it's steady rise into the morning sky, bathing the world in warm golden rays. The hallways inside Beacon Academy were still devoid of most of the student body, the only exceptions being the more dedicated of students, training with the new morning, and the rare naturally early risers.

It was a good start to Ruby's day! She had finished a nice morning run and the cafeteria had freshly baked breakfast (raisin) cookies! It had only been a few days into her new life at Beacon and she was now beginning to accept her assigned position as team leader. Despite her initial failures of keeping in line with Weiss's standards as the team leader of RWBY; the two partners had quickly made up. The snow haired girl had even promised her that she would be the best teammate ever!

Which in turn meant that Ruby had to be the best team leader ever...

"Why me?" the now slightly sullen girl sighed to herself at the heavy thought as she walked into team RWBY's shared room and headed towards her wooden dresser. Why did the headmaster pick her? She didn't ask to be a team leader or to get so much attention because of her younger age. All she had wanted was to be a normal student studying at Beacon. Not some crazy young prodigy leading a team of students two years older than herself! She still got lost walking around the school!

She didn't want to make any waves! And the worst thing was everyone knew about her now, she even saw people pointing at her in the hallways. She just wanted to be a normal girl... that slew the creatures of evil and darkness; was that too much to ask for!?

Looking around the team room (with awesome bunk beds!) she made sure it was empty before taking off her slightly sweaty exercise clothes; a simple white tank-top and red shorts. Her sister was likely still working out at the gym, Weiss was working on the "logistical requirements for scheduled dust deliveries to the dorm room" and Blake was... she actually had no idea where the mysterious ninja-like girl was.

Ruby didn't know much about her sister's quiet partner yet, but she seemed really cool and was pretty. Ruby loved Blake's long black hair; it was so lush and full. The younger girl had to stop herself more than once from "accidentally" touching it. Ruby blushed at the thought. Shaking her head quickly left and right, she tried to get the dirty Yang like thoughts out her imagination.

She couldn't think of her teammate like that! She had even told Yang quite sternly to take it easy on dating at Beacon, and especially, no inter-team dating! The amount of flings her sister had been through at Signal academy had gotten Ruby caught up in more drama than an Atlas soap opera and she didn't want to relive it at Beacon! It wasn't fair to all the boys that got beat up by their dad either.

She didn't think she needed to worry about inter-team dating/drama with Weiss; since she was... well... a Weissicle. Don't get her wrong, Weiss was beautiful and cute! But she couldn't imagine Yang and Weiss tolerating each other long enough for something like dating. Plus she had caught the heiress fondly looking at the toned... ahem... posteriors of tall cute boys as they were working out in the gym yesterday.

Her sister usually preferred guys (or sexy hunks of muscles as she called them) so she hoped Yang could be content with (and control herself around) the large amount of fit, muscular, future male Hunters roaming campus.

Blake was the only problem, she had caught her sister more than once looking at her beautiful ebony haired partner, often when she was walking away. With those long sensual legs, her wonderfully curvy constantly swaying hips, and that perfectly round (spank-able butt as her sister would say), she couldn't completely blame Yang.

Stop it Ruby! Bad thoughts!

Luckily, Ruby didn't think Blake was interested in girls. She had never caught her older teammate looking at her sister "that way" and everyone looked at Yang "that way" if they were interested in girls even a little. Her sister was a curvy bombshell blonde with a wonderful and outgoing personality. It went without saying, unlike Ruby, her sister had gone through many boyfriends and even had one or two girlfriends before. While Ruby meanwhile had never even experienced holding another person's hand outside of family.

She loved her sister, but sometimes she wished Yang wasn't so... great. It left her feeling inadequate in a lot of different ways. Killer looks, a bright personality, a large group of friends, weekly love confessions; her sister had it all.

While Ruby... just didn't...

She was a slightly cute, awkward, weapon geek, who was still (hopefully) developing feminine curves. And while she had friends it was nothing compared to her sister, who had so many, that her biggest problem back in Signal was deciding on which party she was going to go to because she got invited to so many.

Ruby loved her older sister and always did her best to never let her know that sometimes, Yang's dazzlingly bright presence often left her feeling like a wilting underwhelming flower.

Her sister had always been there for her after both of their moms had left them and their dad. The least Ruby could do was not burden Yang with her pathetic confidence issues. Plus she had her Crescent Rose, her skills, and her future as a Huntress; protecting those that weren't able to protect themselves. That was more than enough for Ruby Rose.

Determined not to let the depressing thoughts ruin her day; Ruby turned up the volume of her headphones. Taking off her small red sports bra and white panties (cute red-stripped ones!) she grabbed a plain white towel and went towards the shared bathroom connected to the girls' room. Ruby was used to sharing a bathroom with Yang back home, so she didn't mind it too much sharing with three other girls. But it was still strange seeing white and black strands of long hair, along with the familiar blond, littered around the bathroom's sink and tub. The thought of sharing a bathroom with Weiss and Blake sometimes made her nervous. They were both older and pretty, but she was slowly getting over it.

Humming along with her pop music, while carrying her towel and wearing nothing but the bright red headphones atop her head, she opened the bathroom door.

In doing this simple act; Ruby Rose had also unknowingly opened up a new path that would forever change the course of her life, her team's, and the entirety of Remnant's future. If she had simply taken off her headphones, played the music a little lower, had opened the door a few seconds later or sooner, or even just a little bit slower... it would have never happened.

Obliviously swinging the bathroom door open the youngest Huntress at Beacon was greeted with the sight of a completely naked, dripping wet, Blake Belladonna.

Headphones still playing loudly against her ears; Ruby's brain temporarily shutdown as it tried to process the image of a beautiful naked girl that wasn't her sister. The older girl stood directly in front of her; her naked hourglass shaped body in full display before Ruby's eyes. A slender arm frozen in place as it reached for a black towel on the bathroom counter top.

Quickly Ruby's brain made comparisons between her sister's (the only other naked body she had ever seen in real life) and Blake's bodies. Ruby's eyes went straight for the boobs first. They were big... surprisingly almost as large as her sister's. Yang (much to her pride) carried around impressive E-cups. Blake's own must have been a solid D-cup.

Ruby had never noticed how big and full they were before; Blake's chest had seemed at most a large C-cup in her combat and school uniforms. They were noticeably perky and round; the skin a softer tone compared to the areas that were exposed to the sun, making her nipples stand out noticeably against the soft orbs. Unlike herself and her sister's lightly tan colored nipples Blake's were a soft pink.

Ruby's eyes swiftly went South trailing down her slender and smooth stomach, touched lightly with barely noticeable abs and discovered Blake only trimmed slightly for her "garden management" unlike her own sister's "cleared fields policy." Moving back up North; Ruby's eyes settled once again on Blake's bountiful chest, still wet from the shower. Ruby saw a single droplet of water go from Black's collar bone and slide down along the curve of her left breast. It briefly hung from the bottom of Blake's under-boob before escaping the heavenly orb and descending onto a tile, hitting the bathroom floor.

Ruby felt like she was going to faint...

The skin slightly flushed pink from the warm shower; the hair dripping wet, raven black, and almost completely untamed (both North and South); and the boobs... dear Oum the boobs! It was all just too much!

Ruby had know for a while now that she liked girls, but even so she had never really interested in "sexy bods" like Yang was. Girls were cute sure but not something worthy of chasing after like some awesome new high tech prototype weapon. She didn't understand it until now. She had never experienced this excited, heated, tingly feeling before. Her heart was racing and her body felt... strangely good. She understood now why her dad and Yang had all those magazines hidden around the house.

Blake was amazing. The most amazing thing Ruby had ever seen or imagined outside of weapons, power-armor for Zwei, or giant strawberry cookies.

Blake for her part seemed just as shocked by Ruby's sudden appearance; her eyes opening wide in surprise and her month hanging open. After Ruby's inspection of Blake's body (something that would forever be burned as a crystal clear image in her mind) Blake open and closed her mouth several times trying to say something.

Headphones still on; if Blake did in fact try to say anything Ruby didn't hear it. After gaining some semblance of her mind back, she began to stumble away, until she hit the side of the bathroom's entryway with her headphones. They fell off and clattered against the bathroom's tiled floor. The sound seemed to shock Blake into action and she quickly covered herself with her black towel.

Freed from Blake's mesmerizing body; Ruby noticed something strange on top of Blake's head. She thought at first it is was the ever present little black bow Blake always wore, but it wasn't. It... or they were two furry and wet protrusions coming from Blake's hair. One of them moved slightly.

Seeing Ruby's confused eyes staring at something just above her head; Blake's face morphed into horrifying realization. She dropped her towel and swiftly placed her hands on top of her head covering the strange furry triangle shaped objects. Nude again Blake froze, her eyes wide with terror staring back into Ruby's own. She looked like a small frightened animal that had nearly drowned in a river.

After a moment, Blake spoke quietly with a fear-filled voice and asked her, "Did you see?"

Ruby still in shock at this entire situation didn't know what to say or even think. Did she see Blake's two big beautiful boobs that had managed to change her entire view on half of the entire human and Faunus populations of Remnant? Or the furry things on top of her head?

They had looked like... kitty ears?

Blake waiting in silent agony for Ruby's answer (hands still covering the top of her head) asked her again louder and in a more panicked voice. "Did you see them?!"

Ruby's mouth moved before her brain did.

"Your boobs? Or the kitty ears? They're really cute... your kitty ears, not your boobs. I mean those are cute too! I would just use a different word to describe them like; amazing, really big, bouncy, high caliber, you know? They look really soft... your kitty ears too. Can I touch them? Your kitty ears not your boobs. Although, I really want to touch those too! But I don't think we're close enough for that yet, you know? Haha... do you drink a lot of milk? Not because of the kitty ears! I'm not racist against Faunus! It's just because your boobs are so big! I'm sorry!"


	2. Chapter 2

Blake Belladonna hated her scars.

Her morning had started off heavenly. She had woken up in a bed (not a sleeping bag), the first thing she saw was a roof over her head (not the thin flaps of a tent), and best of all she woke up alone and warm. Who could ask for a better morning than that? All was peaceful, comfortable, and quiet.

Her teammates were surprisingly early risers; not something she would expect from "normal" human girls that weren't former terrorists. All three of them; in their own unique ways were dedicated to their future roles as Huntresses and held within themselves an inner strength that often took Blake by surprise. She was actually the lazy member of the team; but when you went without modern comforts and freedoms for so long and suddenly got it all back... well she thought she had earned the right to be a little lazy.

After lying within the comforting embrace of her soft bed for a little longer and basking in the peace that was her life now; she began to slowly get up and begin her day. Having no teammates around this morning was a pleasant surprise. So she decided to take advantage of it and spoil herself with the bathroom, using it for as long as she could while her team was out this morning.

The bathroom's faucets always had hot water running! After spending months at a time in the White Fang's camps littered throughout the untamed wilds of Remnant; warm water that you could just waste on bathing was something she swore to never take for granted again.

In the team's shared bathroom she turned on the hot water for the tub and let it fill up while she took off her black yukata. She didn't wear anything else underneath it, and only had to undue her black bow as well. She didn't like wearing anything else but the yukata to bed... don't tell Yang. Her blonde partner eyed her up enough already and she certainly didn't need to give the horny girl any more reasons to. But Blake was used to being leered at. Adam certainly hadn't been the bashful or shy type.

"Dammit." Blake whisper softly to herself.

She didn't want to think about him.

Looking into the bathroom mirror she saw her scars.

She wished she could say that they were from her days in the White Fang, fighting for Faunus equality (misguided as the group was now in that goal.) She would have had at least some amount of pride in the scars then. But they weren't from some hard fought, noble battle for Faunus rights. They were from Adam.

The first time he had been gentle... but only that once.

The scars weren't that noticeable; just small thin lines and small points of pale silver. They had been indented into her skin from his nails and teeth; mostly on her breasts and the insides of her thighs. Blake had never complained when she and Adam were together... she had loved him. If that was what helped him get through the bleak days and cold nights, then Blake was fine with letting him do whatever he wanted to with her body.

And then she ran.

From the White Fang.

From the Cause.

From Him.

From everything.

The scars had stayed with her... never letting her forget.

She hated them and herself.

Turning away from her own pathetic reflection in the mirror, she checked the filling tub and saw that it was already halfway full with steaming water. Turning the faucet off, she slowly lowered herself into the enveloping warmth.

Her past would always haunt her and her future was uncertain at best, but right now her present was good. Her life at Beacon was peaceful and perhaps even happy, so she would enjoy it until it was all inevitably taken away from her.

Sighing in contentment; the ex-terrorist stretchered out a slender leg above the steaming water, letting the warm droplets trail down along the length of her smooth skin and dripping back down into her blissful bath. The falling droplets created a sound of pure relaxation as they returned to the warm water. This was nice.

Really her only problems right now were her teammates. The three humans were good people and skilled Huntresses, but they each gave Blake her own unique headaches she struggled to deal with.

First there was her partner Yang Xiao Long, practically the complete polar opposite of herself. Loud, outgoing, brash, and the type to solve any and all problems with a fist to whatever unfortunate face caused the said problem. She constantly talked about everything, didn't have a subtle bone in her body and worst of all said sushi was gross. But Blake could tell she was kind; always looking out for her little sister, and offering a helping hand to whoever needed it. Blake knew that as long as the both of them could find balance with their naturally opposing personalities, things would work out between them. She hadn't really believed in the saying "opposites attract" until she had met the fun loving and passionate girl. Constantly shining like a miniature sun and warming everyone around her with that infectiously happy attitude. She felt like there was even a chance of the two of them becoming life long friends.

Weiss Schnee on the other hand was a girl she was planning on just avoiding when possible. The irony of being placed on the same team as the Schnee dust company's heiress was laughable. An ex-terrorist who bombed the shipments, mines, and storage facilities of the heiress's company was sleeping in the same room as her. Hell their underwear had already gotten mixed up one time (both of them preferring lace and silk panties). Thankfully both of them seemed content with being quiet and professional. They might never be close, but as long as they could fight Grim together (and Weiss never discovered her secrets) for their duration at Beacon that was all that was needed.

And finally her team leader and Yang's younger sister Ruby Rose. Why the two siblings didn't share the same last name was a mystery to Blake, but it's not like it was her business so she didn't ask. Ruby was younger than the rest of them, having been accepted into Beacon two years early. An impressive feat considering the highly prestigious reputation and competitive nature of the school. The girl was awkwardly cute; prone to stumbling into bad situations, clumsy, air headed, and acted like a lost child who didn't know what to do or say without getting into more trouble. Despite that, the younger girl had moments where she acted like a wise future leader of Hunters and Huntresses. She suspected that Headmaster Ozpin saw some great hidden potential dwelling within the young scythe wielder. The girl had a rare charisma that made people want to be better than they actually were. Blake understood why the headmaster had chosen Ruby as team leader over the other three girls despite them being older.

In addition, her dorky leader liked reading books! Blake was looking forward to the future book discussions she was sure they would have together.

As she was finishing up washing her hair; Blake heard the front door to the dorm room open and close. Sighing sadly, she drained away the warm water and stepped back in front of the mirror. Wiping away the fog that now rested on the glass from her warm bath she looked back into her own yellow eyes filled with many past mistakes and regrets.

Despite those regrets, she had sworn that she was going to move forward with her new chance at a decent life and become a better person. A good person; not the one that she was now, and not the one that her parents were probably ashamed of.

Her Faunus ears flickered towards the bathroom door, it sounded like... Ruby humming and music playing? Ruby was probably listening to that new Minstrel Pop music that was getting popular. She seemed really into it for some reason. Blake herself preferred classical and jazz.

"I'll be out in a second Ruby." Blake called out towards the closed door. She just needed to brush her teeth, put on some eyeliner, and then she would be ready for the day.

As Blake searched for her purple eyeliner (Yang better not have taken it again!) the door suddenly swung open.

Blake's first reactions were:

1) Grab her towel on the counter-top.

2) Look at whatever had violated the peaceful privacy she was enjoying.

Her eyes were greeted with a sight so strange, that she actually froze in place while reaching for her towel. It was Ruby... completely naked except for a pair of bright red headphones blasting music into her ears.

Ruby apparently had been completely clueless that Blake was in the bathroom (how Blake didn't know, the lights were on!) froze in place as well. The still naked and wet girl didn't know whether to scream or laugh at the bizarre situation. The girl with black hair ending in red tips looked horrified and then amazed as her eyes began roaming Blake's completely exposed body.

Blake recovering somewhat decided that this awkward scene was one that could just be laughed off. Struggling slightly with her voice in an attempt to sound casual, she summoned some of Yang's displayed charisma and confidence into herself; jokingly saying.

"Well umm... good morning Ruby... you're looking good."

Blake had to admit everything about the girl was just... cute. She was also curvy than Blake would have given her credit for. Her small arms and legs carried lean muscles, while her smooth stomach and curvy hips looked soft and supple. Her small breasts weren't actually that small, just big enough to give someone a pleasant handful of the perky assets.

Ruby suddenly backed away and hit the entryway, knocking her headphones off. Blake (realizing she was unashamedly flashing Yang's little sister) grabbed her towel and wrapped it around herself. Ruby in turn directed her eyes upward and then stared in confusion at the top of her head.

Horror hit Blake like a runaway Schnee dust train. Her bow wasn't on.

She desperately darted her hands to the top of her head and covered her naked Faunus ears. Maybe the human hadn't seen them clearly? Thought it was just her hair sticking up weirdly?

Her towel fell back down but she didn't care.

Ruby looked like she was in a state of pure confusion and wonderment. Blake asked her, "Did you see?"

Ruby didn't answer, and the younger girl's face just kept switching from confused to amazed. Blake needed an answer; this stupid situation could ruin everything... she might not even be able to stay at Beacon anymore.

Loudly she asked again, "Did you see them?!"Finally Ruby spoke; the jumble of words destroying Blake's peaceful and happy new life.

"Your boobs? Or the kitty ears? They're really cute... your kitty ears, not your boobs. I mean those are cute too! I would just use a different word to describe them like; amazing, really big, bouncy, high caliber, you know? They look really soft... your kitty ears too. Can I touch them? Your kitty ears not your boobs. Although I really want to touch those too! But I don't think we're close enough for that yet, you know? Haha... do you drink a lot of milk? Not because of the kitty ears! I'm not racist against Faunus! It's just because your boobs are so big! I'm sorry!"

Ruby had seen them... it was done. Taking a deep breath; Blake lowered her hands, picked up her towel, and re-wrapped herself (more securely this time.)

"It's ok" she said calmly to Ruby (and herself.) Blake had always known this could happen... she just didn't think it would happen so soon. She hadn't even been at Beacon for two weeks yet and one of her secrets was already out. But Blake could control this; it was just Ruby. There wasn't a single cruel blemish on the young girl's soul. No animosity towards Faunus, unlike so many other humans. Blake could trust her. She just had to make Ruby swear to never tell another living soul!

With her course of action made Blake looked sternly into Ruby's silver eyes and said, "Ruby, I think we need to talk."

"Uurgmehbleg!" Ruby Rose responded.

"... I'm sorry?" Blake asked with a single elegantly raised eyebrow.

"I-I meant... sure. No problem!" Ruby (still naked) quickly corrected herself.

Blake eyes dropped down from Ruby's nervous face, unintentionally getting another eye full of the soft curves of her partner's little sister. Yang would never know... she vowed to herself. She really would have to flee Beacon if Yang ever found out that she knew in detail what Ruby's small nipples looked like (tan and cutesy) or that Ruby only had a small patch of black hair between... maybe she should flee from Vale too?

"Ruby... you should cover yourself." Blake advised, while fighting down a blush.

"Eeeehhhp!" was the noise made in response to the helpful advice, which the blushing girl quickly took.

The two (now fully toweled) girls stood awkwardly for a moment, until Blake moved to leave the bathroom.

"It's yours, I'll be waiting outside." Blake said as she swiftly passed by Ruby, exiting the bathroom and closing the door behind her.

Free from... whatever had just happen; Blake calmed herself down, dried herself off, got fully dressed in her school uniform, and waited for Ruby.

Everything was going to be fine... She would explain to Ruby why she hid her ears and the importance of keeping them a secret. This entire morning would be forgotten and that would be that. She wouldn't have to flee Beacon and find some new way of atonement for her past. She didn't have to runaway again...

Taking another deep, calming breath, Blake went over what she would say to her young leader.

The door opened (very slowly this time) and Ruby peaked her head out first. Seeing a fully clothed Blake, Ruby stepped out in her white towel and nervously walked to her dresser. She took out her school clothes but didn't put them on and glanced back at Blake hesitantly.

Understanding; the older girl began walking towards the door leading out into the hallways of Beacon's student dorms.

"I'll be outside while you're changing." Blake said in what she hoped was a kind voice.

Ruby looking relieved nodded quickly back at her.

"I-I wont take long!" She was still nervous obviously.

Exiting the room, Blake went to the other end of the dorm hallway and leaned against the wall. Closing her eyes, she brought a hand up to her brow and began massaging her temples in an attempt to stop the coming headache. What had happened to her peaceful morning?

True to her word Ruby was quickly done changing and was soon standing before Blake in her school uniform and ever present red cloak. Her silver eyes nervously looking up at the taller girl with her (until recently) ever present black bow. Blake forced herself to smile back down, and began walking towards a garden near the student dorms that were usually deserted. The small grove was peaceful and would be the perfect place for... this talk. Few students knew about it and Blake would be able to tell if anyone came near the area while they were talking. Her own hearing was far better than any human's and the birds chirped whenever someone came near the area. It was like a pleasant security alarm.

The walk was silent and tense. Blake could feel the heavy anxiety coming off the poor girl following her; lingering like a dark little cloud. She felt bad for making the younger girl so scared, but this talk had to happen right now and it needed to be done in private. Their teammates would be returning to the dorm room soon and the hallways were fairly trafficked right now as students went to the school cafeteria for breakfast.

The pair exited the hallways and walked along the open pathways that connected the various buildings of Beacon Academy together. The morning sun was shining in the pale blue sky; it looked like it was going to be another pleasant day. Blake sincerely hoped it would be.

The birds greeted them as they came near the grove. Walking into a small mini forest of trees, it opened up into a lovely field of flowers shielded from the rest of the world by the protective trees surrounding them. A small wooden bench sat in the center of the secret garden. Whoever put it there had good taste and Blake hoped one day she would be able to thank them.

Sitting down on the bench Blake looked at the (still) nervous red cloaked girl; she smiled and patted the space right next to her. Ruby swiftly sat down, but went as far as she could away from the area occupied by Blake. She didn't get very far... it was a small bench.

"Ruby, I'm not upset with you. I know it was just... a freak accident. But it happened so... we need to talk about what you saw."

Ruby didn't say anything, but her face decided to match the color of her cloak.

"My ears specifically." Blake clarified.

Turning towards Blake; Ruby asked the question that Blake had pretended she would never have to answer while staying at Beacon.

"Why are you hiding your ears Blake?"

The question was asked so... innocently and honestly, that Blake's prepared response left her mind. Wasn't it obvious why?

"It's because I'm a Faunus Ruby." A stupid answer and Blake didn't know why she gave the overly simplified response.

"I don't understand... why does that matter?"

How could someone still be so pure and innocent at this age still? Especially someone training to be a Huntress? Was she just sheltered growing up? That seemed hard to believe with an older sister like Yang.

"I-I mean, I understand Faunus have it tougher, and that humans and Faunus sometimes don't get along in some places... but this is Beacon! There are a lot of Faunus students walking around here. Why are you... hiding?"

This wasn't going the way Blake had planned it would. She didn't think this would be so difficult. Why was it so hard to explain? It was all simple right?! The humans would judge her, make her life more difficult, and she was sick of it! So putting on a little black bow on top of her head solved the problem! It was a simple and easy solution to something that had been dominating her entire life!

"Because Ruby, I'm sick and tired of being judged for what I am and not who I am!" she practically yelled back at the smaller girl sitting next to her.

Ruby didn't react to her raised voice. She simply continued to calmly and patiently look back at her, waiting for the exposed Faunus to continue.

Blake felt a wave of guilt wash over her. Ruby was the last person that deserved her anger. Was she really this bitter of a person now?

"I'm sorry... I didn't mean to raise my voice. It's just..." It was just what? Why was she getting so emotional?

She felt a small soft hand on top of her tightly clenched fist; when had she done that? And when had Ruby gotten so close?

"It's ok Blake. I won't try to pretend that I completely understand what your going through. But I want you to know that I'm your friend! And I'll always be here for you! Everything is going to be ok! I promise!" Ruby Rose declared while starring directly into Blake's amber eyes.

There it was again... That charisma coming straight from the lips of a fairy tale protagonist. Her words unashamedly, were like something a heroic knight would say to some poor fallen and lost soul. Said passionately and with complete honesty.

Blake's fists relaxed, and she felt a warmth seep into her heart at the young hero's words. She smiled back at Ruby... truly smiled this time.

"Thank you, Ruby." Blake said the words with as much warmth and sincerity as she could put into her voice.

Ruby seemed to realize what she had gallantly promised and that she was still holding Blake's hand. She quickly reverted back to her usual awkward self; putting her hands in her lap, scooting to the other side of the bench, and looking down into her lap with a rosy red blush on her cheeks.

Blake giggled; something she had only ever done with Illya before. It was amazing how this young human girl was making her feel so warmed and cared for. It was something she had only ever experienced before with her parents... and Adam.

Remembering the main reason for the talk, Blake resolutely asked, "Please don't tell anyone that I'm a Faunus Ruby."

Ruby seemed saddened by the request; her eyes looking regretfully back into Blake's, "I won't tell anyone... but I don't think you should hide Blake, especially from your own team. I hope one day you'll show everyone who you are."

Blake Belladonna knew that day would never come.

She had ran away from too much, concealed too many secrets, and her body was covered with far too many scars.

* * *

 **Hello again! Second chapter this time from Blake's perspective. I thank everyone that took the time to read this, whether you liked it or not. Please leave a review if you have the time.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

* * *

Ruby Rose was worried.

Sitting sadly in the school cafeteria with her teammates and team JNPR, she saw that the leader of JNPR wasn't taking his defeat at the hands of Cardin Winchester very well. In addition to that she was still worried about Blake. On the surface things seemed fine, in fact better than before! Blake talked to her way more now! About books, music, cookies, fish, lots of things. She even joined Ruby on her morning runs sometimes! She was well and truly friends with the pretty, dark haired girl now!

But she still hid the fact that she had kitty ears... and Ruby was beginning to understand why.

Beacon Academy had quite a few Faunus students, and Ruby had never witnessed a blatant act of discrimination against any them at the school. But there were a couple of common things with most of the Faunus at Beacon that seemed strange, now that Ruby had begun looking for them.

First; they were usual alone when walking around. That was weird at Beacon; a place where everyone traveled in groups, either with their team or with friends. But most of the Faunus students, especially the first years, walked alone to classes. Even the introverted and private Blake walked with her team to classes and lunch.

Second; in the classroom most people didn't sit next to the Faunus students. It was like an invisible bubble of isolation was surrounding them keeping others away. It didn't make any sense. Blake sat next to her or Yang whenever they shared classes. She understood that maybe the Faunus student's teammates just happened to not share the same classes... but every single one?

There were other little things too. Like how most of the Faunus seemed to often accidentally get in the way of some bigger human and were shoved out of the way. Or tripped over legs that happened to be stretched out when they walked by... she couldn't believe she had never noticed before.

It was all wrong... but Ruby didn't know what she could do about it.

"We'll break his legs!"

"Huh!?" Ruby looked over to Nora; taken out of her distracted thoughts by the hyper girl's enthused declaration.

"Guys, really it's fine. Besides it's not like he's only a jerk to me. He's a jerk to everyone." Jaune stated while standing up from the group's shared lunch table, apparently done with his meal. Ruby still had two uneaten cookies left on her plate; a testament to her inner turmoil.

Jaune was having problems of his own too. Ruby couldn't believe how much bullying was going on at Beacon just under the surface. They were supposed to be heroes! Fighting for and protecting people! Not to be stupid bullies! Hurting and picking on people! It wasn't right! Blake, Jaune, and all the other Faunus students shouldn't be suffering because of their fellow Hunters and Huntresses! It wasn't fair!

"Ouch! That hurts!"

Turning her head quickly towards the distressed voice, Ruby saw team CRDL surrounding one of their classmates. It was Velvet; a shy rabbit Faunus girl that they shared history class with. One of her long bunny ears was in the harsh grip of the leader of the team, Cardin Winchester. He was laughing at her along with the rest of his team.

Ruby acted before she knew what she was doing. Moving faster than the untrained eye could see with her semblance; a rain of red petals descended onto Cardin and Velvet. She grabbed onto the wrist that was holding Velvet's furry appendage hostage.

"Let her go!" Ruby shouted at leader of team CRDL as loudly as she was able to.

Cardin (spitting out a mouthful of rose petals) shouted back, "What did you say you little brat!? Let go of me before you get hurt!"

"Not until you let her go!" Ruby tightened her grip on his wrist.

A bench was heard scraping against the floor as three figures rose. One in white, one in black, and one in yellow. Cardin along with the rest of team CRDL rose as well. Ruby now practically hanging off of Cardin's wrist yelled up at him again. "I'm not letting go until you do!"

Cardin looked down at the red caped girl hanging determinedly from his wrist, then at the snow haired girl with a spinning glyph of glowing white light hovering above her head, the black haired girl with two cafeteria knifes clenched in her hands, and the yellow haired girl who's said hair was literally on fire.

"Whatever!" he released the captive bunny ear. "There's no reason to make such a big deal over an animal!" He harshly pulled his arm away from Ruby who released her grip. "Lets go!" he shouted at his team and stormed out of the cafeteria, the rest of CDRL soon following.

"You're just a big, stupid, bully!" Ruby yelled at his retreating back while stomping her combat boot against the ground.

Silence descended onto the cafeteria until a stern, shrill voice yelled out.

"Ruby Rose!" ut-oh... it was Weiss. "Your recklessness knows no bonds! That brute could have hurt you!"

She was in trouble...

* * *

After her "heroics" (which Velvet had insisted they were); a lecture from Weiss, a fist-bump from her sister ("Saving cute girls now Rubes!? I need to step-up my game!") and a warm smile from Blake (that seemed too linger for longer than normal... weird), everyone went to history class.

One of the topics in a cruel twist of fate being about Faunus. Ruby was saddened when Proffes- Doctor Ooblek asked the Faunus students if they had ever been discriminated against and every single one, including Velvet, rose their hands (expect for Blake.)

Cardin got in trouble during class, which would have been awesome if Jaune hadn't also gotten in trouble too. After the bell rang signaling the end of the day, team RWBY left the classroom, but were stopped halfway down the hall by a pair of bouncing bunny ears.

"Ruby!" Velvet said happily while grabbing hold of one of Ruby's hands, holding it within the soft grip of her own.

"I wanted to thank you again. It was a really brave thing to do."

Ruby blushed (she was doing that a lot lately... always with Faunus girls too...)

"I-It was nothing Velvet, really."

Shaking her head the bunny girl disagreed.

"No it was something! No human outside of my own team has ever stood up for me like that before... it was heroic! Here." She placed a small piece of neatly folded paper in Ruby's hands. "It's my number."

"Oh, my..."

"..."

"Damn Rubes!"

WBY responded respectively.

"If you ever need anything please let me know! I'm a second year and my team leader Coco is... very resourceful!" With that the brown haired girl happily walked off. "I'll see you around Ruby!" she waved back at the now frozen "hero" before disappearing around a corner.

Ruby was still busy processing the fact that she had "gotten a number" from a cute girl...

After a moment of silence Yang helpful said, "Ruby... go for it... as your big sis you have my permission to tap that sweet bunny as-"

"Yang Xiao Long! Why, I've never!" Weiss interrupted with a screech.

Blake didn't say anything... for the rest of the day or night.

* * *

Blake Belladonna was confused.

It was night time and the team was relaxing in their dorm room after a long day of classes. After the "Velvet incident" nothing significant had happened for the past several days (besides Jaune being particularly scarce which seemed to be upsetting Ruby.)

Ruby...

Blake understood what was happening, it had been the same with Adam. She was attracted to the charismatic idealists. The dreamers who believed that through sheer force of will they could right all the wrongs in the world. The ones that didn't back down or run away from an evil or from an injustice being commented

She might also have a thing for red and black color schemes... it seemed a weird coincidence.

Sighing while lying on her bed in her black and purple yukata pajamas, Blake Belladonna admitted the truth she had been fighting against for the past week.

She had a crush on Ruby Rose.

Glancing over to Ruby and Weiss's side of the room she saw the younger girl on her bed, lying on her stomach in her adorable pajamas. A black tank top and white pants decorated with pink roses, conforming very nicely to her surprisingly eye catching rear. Blake felt her heart beat faster just by looking at Ruby (and her cute booty.) Blake hadn't even know she could be attracted to girls until now. And she had no idea what to do about it.

There were so many problems with this she that didn't even know where to begin.

First; while the age difference wasn't that big of a deal, it still made Blake feel a little bit like a weird pervert. Preying upon a younger, less-experienced girl.

Second; she was a Faunus and Ruby was a human. The thought of involving Ruby in her own race's struggles, potentially making her life more difficult made Blake's stomach turn. Many people (both human and Faunus) thought it was barbaric for the two different species to be together intimately.

Third; Yang would kill her... enough said.

Fourth but most importantly; Ruby simply deserved someone better than her. Not an ex-terrorist. Not someone who would probably one day be hunted down by the authorities or the White Fang. Not someone with so much bad history and emotional baggage.

Not someone covered in scars.

"Hey Blake? Can you help me?" Blake's heart nearly exploded at the soft words spoken by her (now admitted) crush.

Getting out of bed, Blake walked over to Ruby and Weiss's side of the room; looking up at the adorable girl lying on her "bunk-bed" she answered.

"S-Sure Ruby. What do you need help with?"

Ruby smiled down at her "Your good with tracking and nature stuff right? I have to find good trails and meeting points in case an emergency happens at Forever Falls."

Jumping up on to Ruby's bed, she saw that the younger girl had a large map on top of her pillow. It was of Forever Falls, the location for the class's first field lesson. The map had various lines and points drawn clumsily on it denoting ideal paths and gathering spots in case a student got lost or hurt. Looking at the map she gave her assessment.

"You need to take into account that some of your paths are crossing large rivers, and some of the meeting points may be difficult to find without very recognizable landmarks."

Blake spent the next thirty minutes helping Ruby with her map; it was nice just sitting so close to Ruby while she lay on her bed, carefully marking her map. It gave Blake the opportunity to unabashedly stare at Ruby's booty while she innocently worked.

The other members of the team were engaged in their own activities. Weiss was sitting at her "work desk" busy studying lessons that weren't going to be taught until their second semester, and Yang was already asleep (she had been part of an arm wrestling competition or something equally stupid.)

Blake decided to ask Ruby something that had been bothering her (although she refused to admit it.)

"How's Velvet been doing? You've been hanging out with her often lately."

Ruby still drawing on her map replied "She's fine. Cardin hasn't been bothering her as much. We've been doing photo shoots a lot lately."

Photo shoots? That was a little weird... still an acceptable hobby she supposed.

"Photo shoots of what?" Blake asked honestly curious.

"Me." Ruby responded casually.

"What!?" Blake exclaimed more loudly than she had meant to. After getting a "shh" from Weiss and a snore from Yang, Ruby continued.

"It has something to do with her semblance I think. I mostly just do poses for her... it's kinda embarrassing."

Blake needed to have a talk with Velvet (and get those pictures) later. Blake was going to advise Ruby to be more cautious against strange requests from the (seemingly innocent) rabbit Faunus when Ruby winced in pain and dropped her marker.

"Owwee... hand cramp." she groaned in slight pain. Sitting up on her bed, she began trying to open and close her hand.

Blake without thinking took the hand and began massaging it.

"B-Blake?" Ruby stuttered.

Blake didn't respond; she moved her fingers in soothing circles, rubbing the painful cramp out of Ruby's hand. It was so small and softnot at all like another person's... those had been large and rough.

"T-Thank you... it's gone now."

Instead of letting go, Blake began running a single finger up and down the length of Ruby's soft and smooth arm. She heard the younger girl give a soft "eeaph!" at the unexpected advance, and felt her shiver beneath the caressing finger. When the younger girl didn't pull away or protest she took it a step further. Softly and sensually running two fingers up the entirety of her arm, caressing her shoulder and circling back down, this time on the inside of her arm. She accidentally brushed against the swell of Ruby's breast with the back of her hand as she caressed her and had to swallow down a lustful growl that wanted to escape from her throat.

"Do you like Velvet, Ruby?" she asked softly.

"W-What!?" Ruby stuttered and blushed.

Blake had loved the time she had spent with Ruby over the past few weeks. She enjoyed being around the innocent, yet wise future huntress. Ruby was so many things that she wanted to be, but she wasn't envious of the younger girl. Blake's only desire was to know more about her and enjoy the presence of her new friend in this new life of hers. Ruby let her forget about the past... about Adam. The two were so similar in the amount of passion they had for their dreams, yet the dreams couldn't be more different. One wanted to protect the world and everyone in it while the other wanted it to burn; only a select few emerging from the ashes. Ruby's dream and the girl herself gave Blake hope for the world, and selfishly for herself as well.

Blake was falling for her... but it was wrong. So very wrong. Ruby would only be ruined and jaded by her. She had nothing to give... only regrets, darkness, and melancholy.

What was she doing? Why was she still holding Ruby's small innocent hand; caressing the girl's delicate skin... tainting it. Why was she asking a question with no purpose? Nothing good would come from any of this.

"I'm sorry, you don't have to answer that." She reluctantly released Ruby's hand and stopped her molestation.

"Blake... what's wrong? You look... sad." Ruby asked the question in a small concerned whisper.

Blake Belladonna, looked deeply into Ruby Rose's beautiful silver eyes and felt something she had only ever experienced with Adam Taurus... so she ran.

"It's nothing Ruby." Blake quickly hoped off the bed.

"Is everything alright?" It was Weiss, Blake had nearly forgotten she was in the room.

"Yes" Blake said with no emotion in her voice and put on her night slippers, swiftly heading to the door.

"Blake?" Ruby again. Her voice filled with confusion and concern. It hurt to hear.

"I'm going for a quick walk. I want to be alone." Blake fled from the room and from Ruby.

Only to run into Juane Arc standing outside his team's dorm room. He turned in surprise; stared at her with wide eyes for a moment and said, "Blake? Are you ok? What happened?"

She was almost insulted that he asked. He was the one avoiding his team, getting pushed around, and failing everything from fighting to school work. She decided to ignore him and continue walking to... wherever she was going.

She left, but he followed.

Outside the dorm building, under the all knowing moonlight, she stopped at the central fountain and looked up at the two stone figures. Hunter and Huntress standing triumphantly over a defeated Beowolf. Jaune was still annoyingly behind her.

"Why are you following me? I want to be alone." the cowardly Faunus informed without turning around to face him.

"Even if I'm a failure of one; a Hero can't exactly just ignore a crying girl can they?" the self proclaimed failure of a hero informed her.

She was crying? Raising a hand and touching her face she discovered she was in fact crying... she quickly rubbed the tears out of her eyes roughly.

Oum she was a mess.

"Where have you been? Still enjoying yourself with Cardin?" Blake decided to take the focus off of herself.

"I-I... I missed up." Jaune said the words with such a defeated tone that Blake turned around to face him. He looked defeated too.

"What does he have on you?" Blake asked.

"Wh-Wha... how did you know?"

"It's pretty obvious, why else would anyone hang around a scumbag like him?"

Jaune laughed at her words. And smiled sadly.

"I... faked my papers... for Beacon." he admitted seemingly relieved in letting the words out.

"Oh" Blake responded. Well that answered that.

They both stood in silence, each contemplating the many mistakes they had made in life that had brought them to this point... when a soft ringing broke the cold night air. It was Jaune's scroll. Cardin asking him for Rapier Wasps or something equally stupid like that.

Jaune's entire body slumped in defeat.

"He has me on a leash. I don't know what to do." the cheating student moaned in despair.

Blake couldn't fix her own problems, but maybe she could fix Jaune's? After all it's what Ruby would have done...

She walked over to Jaune and with righteous fury in her voice said, "Then take the leash off... and put it on him."

* * *

 **Chapter** ** _three up! I was going to go a little bit further but I felt like this was a good spot to end it. Thank you to all the reviewers:_** **MrFox7189, herpaderp1028, Whippygecko, Jighdu, and Fennec9. Your words of encouragement me a lot to me. Jighdu, I as well love seeing the contrast between Blake and Ruby and the lack of Ladybug fanfics was one of the reasons I choose to write this one Whippygecko. Fennec9 I respect your profile pic... Operator-Chan is legit.** ** _Next update won't happen till the end of next week (work owns my ass next week) Please leave a review if you have thoughts on this chapter!_**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

* * *

The next morning, Ruby's day started with a startling jolt.

Her scroll buzzing violently against her chest at 0459; exactly one minute before her normal alarm usually went off.

It was a message from Blake!

Ruby quickly rolled over to the edge of her bed and peaked her head down, looking to see if the older girl had returned... she hadn't.

Looking at the scroll she read the message sent by her still missing teammate.

"Good morning Ruby, something came up that needed to be taken care of so I only returned to the room for a short while. I will meet you all at the air bus for the class trip to Forever Fall. I have already grabbed everything I will need and borrowed one of your maps of the area."

The young girl felt a stab of sadness pierce her heart. Clicking her scroll shut and rolling back over into her pillow she wished that the day wouldn't start.

Blake was still... upset? Sad? Angry? She didn't know. The only thing she knew for sure was that it was all her fault.

Ruby had been so happy that she was able to become friends with the secret Faunus girl. They both got along so well despite the fact that the two of them actually didn't have much of anything in common.

Besides a love of books and stories, they really didn't share anything related hobby or likes wise. Ruby loved shoot'em up video games, Blake loved deep complex poetry. Ruby enjoyed playing tag, hide and seek, and dodge ball. Blake enjoyed playing "glare everyone away so she didn't have to play anything." Ruby was more of a "milk and cookies" type of lady, while Blake was more of a "tea and fish" type of lady.

Despite their differences; Ruby loved being around Blake! It was strange, but she could talk to the older girl about anything and everything. Blake never seemed like she was annoyed by her constant ramblings. Always paying close attention to her words and chiming in with her own thoughts whenever Ruby was forced to take a breath.

And now it might all be ruined because of her.

Blake was so nice to her and she had let it go to her head. Imagining things that weren't there.

When Blake had been helping her with the map she had gotten a hand cramp. Blake being a wonderful friend had gently massaged the pain away. When she had moved the massage up her arm... it had been nice.

She had never been touched like that before and it made her feel... she wasn't sure how to describe it... womanly?

Blake lightly massaging her arm had made Ruby feel like some pretty and precious character from a storybook being charmed by a dashing and mysterious rouge.

Blake had never looked at Ruby's face while she was touching her; she had been gazing at her arm while soothingly moving her fingers up and down her tingling skin. Gently and almost lovingly caressing her arm and shoulder. Ruby had lost herself in the moment and moved closer to the beautiful girl; so close that her chest had accidentally brushed against Blake's hand sendimg a pleasurable spark through her body. Forcing her to bite down on her bottom lip in order to keep a strange noise from escaping.

And then she had gazed at Blake's face and wished there was more. More of this moment, more of this feeling, and more of Blake. She had wanted the dark haired beauty, with those enchanting golden eyes, to look up at her and see her how she saw Blake.

But she didn't... she had looked up at Ruby and stopped.

Blake had looked into Ruby's eyes with so much emotion that the younger girl had only been able to decipher one thing from Blake's expression... sadness.

And then had Blake left... and she still hadn't come back.

It was all Ruby's fault.

* * *

Blake was ready. The plan was made and she had everything necessary in order to execute it. Her mind was focused on the mission and not on her own personal problems. Those could be avoided for a little while longer.

It was a tense atmosphere within team RWBY right now. Blake had already been waiting at the school air bus before her team. Weiss having heard a good part of last night was more rigid than normal (which was already a great deal more than most people), Yang sensing the strange vibe her team was giving off was unusually quiet.

Ruby was in her "team leader" mode. Walking up to Blake as soon as she saw her and unemotionally asking her if she had everything that was needed for the "field trip." Blake told her that she did... and that was all the two had said to each other.

After everyone in the class was loaded onto the air bus it swiftly ascended into the blue sky. The ride was a short one and soon an eager group of future monster slayers were swinging their heads left and right in awe; taking in the beautiful red forest of Forever Falls.

Blake had once lived in this great forest, so the beauty of it had long since lost it's splendor for her. Albeit the location she had been at was many, many miles away from here.

Small White Fang camps were scattered throughout these woods, however none of them were near the students current location to Blake's knowledge. The Forever Falls took up a significant amount of land mass in the kingdom of Vale, the chances of ruining into some hidden bandit or terrorist group was low. The only constant and likely danger being Grimm; like everywhere else not surrounded by the protective creations of civilization.

The gaggle of students were lead by Professor Goodwitch who said she was there to make sure none of them died while gathering tree sap for Professor Peach. Blake smirked at the thought. After being released for their tasks the various teams went their separate ways. Except Jaune and Blake.

Jaune went along with Cardin and his team of idiots just as planned. He had the map and now just needed to lead the moronic group to the ambush point. Blake ninja-ed her way away from team RWBY and went to set up the ambush. But not before she slipped Yang a note saying she would be at their assigned "sap gathering" location in about two hours. She was sure someone or Yang herself would find the note she planted on her partner after a couple of minutes.

* * *

Ruby looked around and didn't see Blake... she had left again.

Ruby wasn't concerned for Blake's safety, after all she had been the one to help her with the map; pointing out which areas were likely to be safe and which were the most dangerous... but to just leave and not say anything...

"Umm, what is that in your chest?" Turning around Ruby saw that it was Weiss that had spoken while pointing a finger at her sister's... boobs?

"Huh?" Yang looked down into her cleavage. "Oh! Blakey must have left me a note!" She pulled the small paper out from between her formidable assets.

"Says... she'll meet up with us in two hours at our spot." Yang read the small note aloud.

"Wait... has Blake done this before?!" Weiss asked scandalized.

"Slip me boob notes? Yeah?" Yang answer while tilting her head slightly in confusion.

"...I hate both of you." Weiss grumbled to herself while crossing her arms over her own chest.

Normally Ruby would have laughed at the situation and said that Weiss was only mad because she wanted a boob-shelf too.

But her only thoughts right now were on what Blake could possibly be doing.

* * *

The trap was set. All she had to do now was wait for team CRDL and Jaune to wander into it. Hopefully this would take care of Cardin's bully against anyone close to her... especially Ruby. Blake was sure that her young leader was the target for Cardin's "prank" with the Rapier Wasps he had Jaune gather last night. Ruby had stood up to him in defense of Velvet, making her the was most likely target.

She had given Jaune a fake map with a different planned location for team RWBY. If team CRDL showed up that would be all the proof she needed to act without mercy.

Sure enough after 10 minutes the group stumbled into the area looking around "stealthy" for team RWBY. Blake was almost insulted at their attempt at sneaking.

"H-Hey Cardin... what's that over there?" Jaune was playing his part, although his acting needed work. Seeing where Jaune was pointing at, Cardin walked over and spotted a strange white object on the red forest floor. He bent down and picked it up.

"Holy shit! It's a bra?!" the teenage boy shouted while holding the undergarment between his thumb and index finger.

"Sorry Yang." The underwear stealing Faunus said in her head. "I'll make it up to you." Blake snapped a few pictures on her scroll of Cardin holding up the white E-cup bra.

She was still surprised at Yang's choice of underwear; all of it was quite chaste. But it was big and noticeable so it worked perfectly as bait.

She ninja-ed out of the shadows and stood within the shade of one of the many red-leafed trees.

"Stealing girls underwear now Cardin? That's a pretty bad hobby to have in addition to all the other ones." The girl with a black bow on top of her head said casually while leaning against a tree.

"Huh?!" Cardin intelligently responded, whipping his head around spotting Blake.

She held up her scroll and waved it around lazily in the air "Shame if these pictures made it to Professor Goodwitch or the Headmaster." She pulled out another scroll. "Or if they made it to... let's see... you're mother, father, big sis Saltator..."

"Bitch! When did you steal my scroll!?" Cardin yelled throwing Yang's bra to the side and marching over towards Blake.

"Right before I set this up." Blake responded while reaching behind the tree she was leaning against and undoing a knot.

A rope swiftly sprung from beneath the fallen leafs, lassoing around Cardin's knees. He fell flat on his ass, was dragged through the crimson leafs past Blake, and then was forcibly risen up just below the red treeline.

While dazed, confused, and still processing the fact he was now suddenly hanging upside down; Blake swiftly threw her Gambol Shroud. The ballistic chain scythe knocked Cardin's mace out of it's holster, she then expertly pulled Gambol Shroud back to her hand with it's attached black ribbon. This had gone far easier than she had expected.

She walked over to the fallen mace and place her left boot on top of it.

"Here's what's going to happen. You are going to agree to leave Jaune, Ruby... and I guess Velvet to... alone. Along with anyone else on their teams. And forget about Jaune's secret." Blake told the hanging upside down boy above her.

"Bitch! You're not getting away with this! You idiots! Get her!" the leader of team CRDL yelled at his teammates. Looking at each other for a few seconds they jogged over and "surrounded her."

Blake smirked.

* * *

"... Sooo... what's going on with Blake? Anyone know?" Yang asked the two present members of the team.

Ruby continued her sap collecting and ignored her sister's question. What was she supposed to say?! That her stupid fantasies had likely freaked Blake out!? That the team's horrible atmosphere was her fault, despite her being it's leader!?

...she continued collecting the sticky sap into a clear glass jar.

Weiss walked over to Yang and quietly whispered to Yang, "I think something happened between Blake and Ruby."

Ruby pretended she didn't her them...

"Blake ran out last night and I had to stop Ruby from chasing her." Weiss said quietly, but not quietly enough; Ruby still heard.

The "pretending not to hear anything" girl wished Weiss hadn't stopped her from chasing Blake. Weiss had said Blake needed some space, but maybe if she had caught Blake things would be different right now.

Ruby again wondered what Blake could possibly be doing right now...

* * *

"Ow! My leg!"

The one with the mohawk screamed in pain after Blake slammed Gambol Shroud's cleaver form into his right knee... he went down.

The fight had gone exactly as the former terrorist had planned it would... pathetically easy.

Well expect for one thing. Jaune had actually joined the fight and proven useful. Taking down one of the members of CRDL, leaving Blake with only two to deal with.

"You still have the box?" She asked her "partner."

"U-Umm yeah! I-I'll grab it!" He jogged away, still panting from the fight. He really needed to train and workout more.

Blake looked up at the still hanging Cardin, pulling out her scroll and taking more pictures of the upside down boy.

"These will go to you're friends" she said smugly.

"Fuck you!" he yelled back down to her.

She smirked, slowly walked over to another tree and untied a knot.

A glass jar flew from the red foliage in-front of Cardin and shattered against his chest, covering him in sticking sap.

"The hell!?" he yelped in surprised.

"Hmm... that one was supposed to hit you in the face. I'm out of practice with making traps... sorry." The bow haired girl "apologized."

Cardin didn't respond... he seemed to understand where this was all going now.

Jaune returned with the box of Rapier Wasps, placing the buzzing cardboard box below Cardin.

The sticking sap dripped down from his armored chest into his exposed face. Blake snapped another pic.

He looked at Blake, then at Jaune, and then back to Blake.

"Ok... just...don't open the box."

* * *

Team RWY was done sap collecting and was waiting for B to return. It had been two hours now.

"She is going to get a talking to whenever she gets here!" Weiss huffed while taking out a wet wipe, cleaning her hands of the smelly red sap.

"I'm sure she had her reasons Weiss. Let's just wait until she gets back ok?" Yang responded in her "understanding big sister" voice.

"Hmpf!" The ice princess said while grumpily crossing her arms.

Ten minutes later the missing letter of RWBY returned. Looking exactly the same as always; Blake apologetically said, "Sorry I'm late. I got caught up in bird watching."

"Bird watching!?" Weiss screeched in anger.

"Yeah with Jaune. He needed help with it." Blake presented her jar of red sap. "I got mine too."

Weiss looked like she wanted to throw her own jar at Blake in response. Ruby decided to intervene.

"That's fine... let's just return to Professor Goodwitch now." She said in her "team leader" voice and began making the trek back to their said chaperon. The rest of the team falling in behind her.

Atleast the team was back together. Ruby hoped it wouldn't be broken up again.

* * *

 **Thank you Dj182, Bookah, Darkdragon0298, ZeroSinRaid, Mama Wolf Pack, and DennyIsMenece for the reviews! Bookah thank you for pointing out my mistakes. I have gone back and corrected them (plus added a bunch of other things to the chapters.) My main goal is trying to improve as a writer so I'm attempting to make due without an editor or proof reader. Again I greatly appreciate you're review. And thank you to everyone else who as favorited or followed this story. Ya'll keep me writing.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

* * *

"Urrgghh... everything hurts." Jaune Arc wined pitifully to his new... friend?

Blake supposed they were friends now, funny how a little blackmail and threats of torture against a common foe could bring two people together. It was strange, after Cardin had been taken care of the two had naturally started drifting towards each other over the past week.

Sitting alone together on an empty balcony the unlikely pair ate their lunches and just... talked. Mostly about how Pyrrha was training him into the dirt everyday, how Nora was forcing him into benching, and how Ren was now enforcing "before bedtime yoga." Blake was sympathetic towards his blight, it all sounded miserable (expect the yoga, she could get into that.)

Blake for her part usually didn't say much. They both knew the main reason for her presence on the empty balcony was because she was avoiding her own team. Jaune had never asked why, or even why she had been crying that one night. She was grateful to him for that.

"You're improving, it shows. You haven't been losing as quickly in matches." Blake said while taking a small bite of her tuna fish sandwich.

"Still losing though..." his head lowered in depression at his lack of significant progress, eating the last bit of a protein bar.

"Give it time. Even Pyrrha can't turn you into a world class fighter in a few weeks." Although the red haired girl was sure as hell trying.

"I know... I don't mean to sound ungrateful. I owe my team a lot for helping me, especially after I abandoned them." Despite the sad tone of his voice he wore a small fond smile on his face.

He turned and looked at her hesitantly. "How is team RWBY doing?"

And there it was... and after she had just got done praising him for not asking.

"Fine" her voice sounded harsh even to her own ears. She didn't mean it. She knew she was just being immature; not wanting to deal with the unspoken distance that had been created between herself and the team.

It wasn't like things were terrible in team RWBY now, she still talked to them, but they weren't what they used to be... especially with Ruby...

Blake knew she was just avoiding everything and that it could all most likely be fixed with a simple, small conversation. But she just didn't know how to start it or what she would say. Not to mention she was still conflicted about... well everything.

"They've been asking me about you. If you've been ok." Jaune informed her in soft voice.

"..." Blake didn't know how to respond to that. People concerned about her? That hadn't happened since before she run away from home.

Jaune stood up and looked down at her, "You need to talk to them Blake. It's not fair to them... or yourself." he told her firmly, with a voice brokering no excuses. She had no idea that he even possessed that much conviction inside of himself, maybe there was hope for him yet?

She stood up as well, "... I know."

Her apatite lost, she left half of her tuna fish sandwich uneaten. It was going to be a long night.

* * *

"Umm Yang, why are we here? We have school tomorrow..." Ruby Rose was completely out of her element and firmly in her older sister's.

Loud music, flashing lights, and people... so many people. It was one of her worst nightmares... a club.

Just a short air bus ride had brought an unwilling Ruby here. Judging by the number of younger clientele and the club's proximity to the school, it catered to Beacon students. The place itself was fairly small; a large bar-stand taking up most of the back, while a dance floor dominated the center. Along the walls were several small booths for a more intimate setting.

Sitting in one of the small booths were Ruby and her sister, they were waiting for Yang's specially ordered drinks to arrive. Ruby was surprised that despite it being a weekday there were still so many older students around drinking and partying. She had no idea people even did that on the weekdays!

"Yang... I'm not old enough to even pretend that I can be in here." She just wanted to go home. Why did Yang drag her here?

"As long as you flash a Beacon I.D. they don't care Ruby. Just look at the walls." Yang waved her hand lazily in the air.

Looking around Ruby did see that the entire club was decorated with various Beacon posters; pictures of famously strong Huntsmen, pinups of famously attractive Huntresses, even some fake weapons hung off the walls. She also saw a lot of drunk likely underage students talking loudly, or dancing... or making out.

"Relax Ruby it's just a small little bar. Nothing to freakout over." Yang said, however her usual mirth was noticeably absent. This serious Yang was making her nervous. Her sister didn't get serious often, and especially not in a place like this.

A gruff looking server walked over with her and Yang's virgin Strawberry Sunrises placing both of their colorful glasses down on the table. Ruby grabbed the fruity drink with both hands and took a nervous sip from the specially ordered, non-alcoholic beverage through her neon purple straw. It was sweet.

Yang stirred her own purple straw around in her drink while looking unnervingly intently at the pretty red and orange colored cocktail.

"What's going on between you and Blake?" She asked in her "I'm the Big sister" voice.

Ruby choked on her drink coughing lightly.

"And don't play dumb. I know something is going on between you two. It's why Blake has been avoiding the team."

Yang glared at her from across the small table, "And don't give me it's team leader business or that you're taking care of it. I've waited long enough; you're going to tell me what's going on. Now."

Ruby instantly felt the crushing weight of authority granted by Yang's "I practically raised you" status take effect. She had no hope of resisting or fighting against it.

"I-I think I have a crush on B-Blake and it weird-ed her out." Ruby quickly answered her older sister.

Yang looked at Ruby for a few moments and didn't say anything. She flicked her straw to the side of the glass out of her way, closed her lilac eyes, and took a long drink from her Strawberry Sunrise; wishing there was alcohol in it.

After finishing off half of her virgin drink; she set the glass down firmly against the table. Ruby was expecting anger from Yang, or maybe a lecture on her own hypocrisy. Instead her sister opened her (thankful still) lilac eyes; exclaiming joyfully and loudly, "I'm happy for you Rubes! You've never had a crush on anyone before!" Yang smiled widely at her, "So Blake, huh? I always thought you'd go for someone small and cute like yourself... But nope! Went straight for tall, dark, and sexy! That's my little sis!"

"Yang! Keep it down you're yelling!" Ruby blushed; no one could know about this!

The enthusiastic blonde just laughed loudly; although it sounded a little forced. And now that Ruby looked more closely... her sister's smile was a little forced too...

* * *

Taking a deep breath, Blake stood outside team RWBY's dorm room. She was going to walk in find Ruby and stop avoiding this.

She put her hand on the door handle and opened it... only to find Weiss inside. Annoyance and relief flooded into her body. She could avoid it for a little longer.

Weiss was at her "work desk" planning for a trip into town next weekend. Why she had to plan for a trip that was a ten minute air bus ride away was lost on Blake.

Walking over to Weiss she asked, "Where are the other two?"

"I'm not sure actually. Yang said she wanted to have a "sister talk" with Ruby and dragged her off." The snow haired girl answered while still typing on the dorm room's laptop.

"Oh..." the black haired girl responded. She turned around and began walking towards her and Yang's side of the room but was stopped when Weiss said, "You need to fix whatever is wrong between you and our "fearless" leader. You know that right?"

Blake didn't turn back around to face Weiss but quietly responded, "Yes, I know. I'm fixing it tonight."

Weiss nodded (not that Blake could see it) "Good."

Weiss continued her typing but Blake stayed in the center of the room contemplating if she should say something else.

The dark haired girl decided if she was going to have one awkward conversation tonight she might as well have two. Besides there was something that had fascinated her ever since she first saw them on Weiss and she had always wanted to ask.

Turning around she faced the snow haired girl, already changed into her lovely white nightgown that served as her sleeping wear.

"Weiss, I really like your panties and bras; where do you go lingerie shopping?" The undercover Faunus asked the Schnee dust company heiress politely.

"Pardon me!?" Weiss exclaimed, turning around sharply.

* * *

"Alright Ruby you ready?"

No she wasn't but Yang would make fun of her if she said that.

"...Yeah" she mumble.

"Great!" her sister apparently decided to ignore her lack-luster response, and flung the team's door open.

"We're back!" the blonde sang into the room; Blake and Weiss both turning around in surprise. Both of them were looking at... panties?

Dozens of the small undergarments were professionally laid across Weiss's bed. All of them seemed to be organized by color, style, and skimpiness. Weiss had a particularly revealing, nearly see through pair of white panties in her hands and a large blush spread across her face. Blake had a... pen and notepad in her hands?

"Ohh... kay? Blakey! Ruby wants to talk with you!" her sister practically skipped into the room; grabbed a surprised Blake, dragged her to the door, and presented her before Ruby. She guessed they just weren't going to talk about all the underwear on Weiss's bed...

"There ya go!" her sister then pushed them both out of the room and shut the door behind them.

"..."

"..."

Blake and Ruby stood in awkward silence. The younger of the two noted that there had even been a pair of panties that were red, white, and green. It looked... festive?

"...Ruby."

"...B-Blake."

They both said at the same time, followed by more awkward silence.

"Sorry, you first Ruby." Blake broke the silence and smiled down at her, putting away her pen and notepad (she really wanted to know what was written in it.)

Ruby happily returned the smile; it had been a long time since she had last seen it on the taller girl.

Ruby looked down and began to twiddle her thumbs. She softly asked, "Can we talk?"

Blake nervously shifted her feet and responded after a few seconds. "Yes, of course Ruby... I've been meaning to talk with you too."

"Umm, we could go to the garden again... or the library study rooms. One's open right now." she looked back up at Blake. She was still so pretty... her long dark hair cascading down, the lite purple mascara, her full lips. The short haired girl felt her heart beating faster.

"It's a little late for the garden. Let's use the library." the older girl stated and began the walk down to the said facility.

Ruby followed her and went over what she was supposed to say. She had never be thankful for Yang's dating experience until now.

Distracted by her thoughts she didn't even realize that they had reached one of the empty study rooms until Blake open the door and turned the lights on. She hadn't even noticed that they had made it to the library. It was mostly empty just one or two students checking out books. However all of the other study rooms were still occupied.

Yang had said they were probably being used for "advanced biology." Ruby had responded that it must be a hard class. Yang had just laughed at her for some reason and said that it got hard for only about 50% of the people who took it, but that her and Blake didn't need to worry about that.

The study room was roughly the size of their dorm room. It had a fancy wooden table in the center with four chairs around it. A small tan couch was lined against one of the walls next to a vending machine with snacks inside.

Blake looked back at her, "Couch or table?"

Yang had told her to use the couch.

"Umm... couch?" It looked more conformable anyway.

"Ok." Blake responded kindly as she walked over and elegantly sat down on the leather couch. Ruby in turn, stumbled over and somehow managed to make a loud squeaking noise as her behind landed on the leather exterior... why was she so awkward?

"Ruby, I just want to start off with saying I'm sorry. For that night, and avoiding the team since then. It was immature of me."

Blake was apologizing to her? That wasn't how this was supposed to go! It was her fault!

"No! It's my fault for reacting so weird! I didn't me to!" Ruby hurriedly explained.

Blake's eyes widened. She seemed surprised by her apology.

"Reacting so weird? What do you mean Ruby?"

The younger girl was flabbergasted... wasn't that what this was all about? She had mistook a friendly massage for something more right?

"If it wasn't that, then why did you leave?" the younger girl asked.

Blake looked away from her and kept shifting on the couch. Crossing and uncrossing her long legs; it looked like she was trying to get comfortable but just couldn't quite manage to.

"I-I shouldn't have... touched you like that Ruby. It was inappropriate and I wasn't thinking straight. It won't ever happen agai-"

"But I liked it!" The younger girl stated quickly, interrupting Blake.

Ruby's heart pounded in her chest, while butterflies danced in her stomach. She hadn't weird-ed Blake out! The older girl was just worried about her! Blake thought Ruby had been the one weird-ed out that night!

She moved closer to her crush. Maybe she actually had a chance? Ruby had never honestly considered it before now. She was just so plain and awkward; while Blake was beautiful and graceful. It seemed laughable to even think she had a chance, but Yang had told her to be bold and direct! To accept whatever would happen from this talk and move on!

Blake meanwhile froze, her amber eyes were the widest Ruby had ever seen them. After a moment she closed them and cleared her throat. When her eyes opened back up again she said firmly, "Regardless it shouldn't have happened, and it won't happen again."

Ruby felt her hopes slowly being shattered.

"W-Why not? I-I mean... I think you're... amazing." She felt her face match her cape. "And... I-I... I really... l-like..." She couldn't say it! What was she doing!? What was she admitting!? Ruby looked back down into her lap, unable to continue her words.

"Ruby... you're so sweet. I really treasure our friendship." Blake's voice softly interrupted "I wouldn't do anything that could jeopardize that, or that might hurt you. You mean a great deal to me. So..."

The smaller girl understood what was happening. She was being let down gently. She hadn't expected the amount of hurt and disappointment that came with the polite rejection. What had she been thinking? Why had she opened up her stupid mouth!?

"I-I understand! I treasure our friendship too!" She nearly shouted in a failed attempt at sounding normal and happy. "I-I'm glad we made up! But we should both go to bed now!" She stood up and began walking towards the door.

"Ruby! I... It's not that I don't like yo-" Blake stood up as well and moved to follow her.

"It's ok Blake!" Ruby interrupted her again, "We've made up right?" The youngest Huntress in Beacon said while turning around and putting on the most convincing smile that she could manage.

"Yes... of course." her (former) crush said sadly.

"Great!" the red caped girl said spinning back around. She opened the door exiting the study room and began her long walk back towards the team room. Blake following silently behind her.

Ruby promised herself that she would accept Blake's rejection and move on just like Yang had told her too. Her older sister must have known this is what would happen. Yang knew much more about relationships, and was much better with this stuff than her.

She wondered if things would have gone differently with Blake if she hadn't been herself; but was instead more like her beautiful and charismatic older sister. Unfortunately she wasn't like Yang. She was only herself; which hadn't been good enough for the dark haired beauty walking in her shadow.

Ruby Rose sincerely wished she had been good enough for Blake Belladonna... but it was ok. The beautiful Faunus deserved someone much better than some dork of a girl like her anyway.

* * *

 **Happy Holidays! Thank you for the reviews merendinoemiliano, skullcrusher3317, MementoMori115, and Qwerty (also thanks for the correction).** **I hope everyone has an enjoyable and happy time with whatever ya'll are doing this holiday season... sorry to end this chapter on a sad note lol... Till next time.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

* * *

"Oh, sweetheart! It's so beautiful! Yes! I love you!" The young woman gushed as she leaped into her lover's awaiting arms. He eagerly caught her, spun her around and brought her into a warm and loving embrace. His cheek resting softly atop her short auburn hair and small bear ears.

The couple whispered sweet nothings to each other, and despite Blake's enhanced hearing even she couldn't eavesdrop further on the loving scene taking place unashamedly in the middle of downtown Vale. It was a strange sight to her spying yellow eyes. The young man was human from what Blake could tell and the woman obviously a bear Faunus; an inter-species couple now apparently married.

Outside of her more questionable books, particularly progressive romance movies, and those crappy Atlas soap-operas about forbidden love; it was something Blake had never seen before. Besides a few strange glances being thrown their way the couple was largely ignored.

The smiling bear Faunus was now holding up her gift into spring's warm sunlight for all the world to see and envy over. It was a necklace of glittering silver connected to a large white stone, carved into the shape of two joined hands. Blake could tell it was high quality and impressively detailed even from her half-dozen or so meters away.

The two hands had their fingers interwoven together intimately; one of the hands noticeably had claws instead of normal fingernails. It was a common symbol of inter-species marriage. Blake had heard that sometimes couples choose the joined hands over the more traditional wedding ring.

Blake smiled softly at the couple lost in their new happiness. Who would have thought that her team's Friday outing into town would have let her see something so rare and special?

"Blake? Why'd you stop?" The voice she had become so fond of asked her kindly. Although now that same soft voice also filled her with deserved heartache.

Turning towards her casually dressed leader, Blake felt a wave of guilt and shame washed over her. Blake's actions at the library were the primary source, but there was also the fact that she felt like lately all she ever did now was leer over the younger girl. It was especially wrong considering she had hurt her.

Ruby was wearing normal civilian clothes for the team outing; Blake didn't know whether she hated or loved it. The cute girl was wearing a loose white shirt with bold red lines along the edges; Blake assumed the too big shirt was likely Yang's. When Ruby was close to her and moved too quickly (which was often) the shirt bellowed out, allowing Blake from her superior height to catch small peaks at Ruby's perky breasts protectively cupped inside her small red bra.

Even worst was her small black jean shorts that hugged her soft hips and clung tightly to her eye catching rear. It was impossible for Blake not to stare like some creepy lecher whenever Ruby was walking directly in-front of her. With only sandals protecting her feet; Blake was also cruelly subjected to what should have been an illegal amount of Ruby's bare legs. Smooth, soft, and more exposed than ever (expect for that one time in the bathroom.)

Blake had to actively focus on not gazing lecherously at the enticingly (and unknowingly) sexy younger girl who sent her heart racing with every unknowingly teasing movement.

"Umm, Blake? You ok?"

... she was just so cute, touchable, and close...

But why was Ruby even wearing so little in the first place?! It was spring in Vale! Few places on the planet had such perfect weather; it wasn't like it was summer in Menagerie! Was this Remnant's way of punishing her for denying the younger girl?

"Blake?" A small hand touched her arm carefully.

"Uh! Sorry what was that?"

"I asked if you were ok?" A small concerned smile touched Ruby's adorable face.

No she wasn't ok. Blake had done what was likely the wisest or the stupidest decision of her entire life. Rejected Ruby's pure and honest feelings. The poor girl had even said she thought Blake was amazing. It still caused her heart to flutter remembering Ruby's kind words.

Blake had wanted, truly wanted, to just except the hesitant confession. Admit her own emotions and hug the smaller girl protectively against her chest. Ruby filled her with so much warmth and happiness... but she couldn't reciprocate Ruby's feelings and had instead interrupted Ruby mid-confession.

It was a decision that constantly haunted her now. What would have happened if she hadn't interrupted and had admitted she liked Ruby as well? Would they be "together, together" right now? Herself and Ruby... as a couple?

What would that be like? Would it be something out of one of her romance books? Or something out of one of her tragedies? (Or best of all something out of one her "other" books that she hid under her mattress?)

She would never know now, but it was for the best. Blake knew any romantic relationship with her would end in tragedy for Ruby, even if it started out as some blissful and romantic fairy tale.

Ruby was pure, innocent and kind. She had a future. A bright sunny future. One where she would live out her dreams in contentment and happiness. Blake refused to become a miasma of shadow that would darken Ruby's future happiness.

She didn't want to become some past regret for Ruby. A mistake that was looked back on with scorn and disappointment, and then forgotten. Just like what her own mom and dad had probably already gone through with her.

"Yeah, I'm ok. Sorry I was distracted." She walked around the smaller girl, who followed her and continued walking happily by her side. Glancing at the shorter girl from the corner of her eye, she saw that despite her actions from half a week ago, Ruby still seemed happy as ever. Every step she gave seemed to come with a small adorable hop as the two walked a little faster in order to catch up with their teammates.

Blake told herself that she would stop eyeing up Ruby. It was all she ever seemed to do now. It wasn't healthy; she needed to stop regretting her past decision and get over the younger girl. It was already done and over with. They were friends and nothing more, it was for the best.

"Ooohh... distracted by what Blakey?" A voice oozing with playful lechery asked her. Yang with her too tight orange T-shirt and black mini shorts, bounced up to her with the question. These sisters were going to be the death of her.

Once Yang's chest stopped bouncing as well Blake answered. "Nothing, there was a nice couple that I saw while we were walking by."

"Nice couple of what?" Yang asked playfully; giving her a wink while placing both of her hands behind her head and puffing out her impressive chest. Yang's E-cups forced the upper garment to conform around them and Blake was worried that the too small shirt wouldn't be able to handle the increased pressure. Thankfully Blake could tell that Yang was wearing a bra this time.

She was going to suggest that Yang should stop putting her shirt through so much unnecessary torture, but was interrupted by Yang suddenly cupping both of her breasts.

"I know you've been looking at my sisters here." Yang gently lifted up both of her heavy orbs, emphasizing her statement and further straining the poor orange top.

"You should do something about it or stop. You're making them sad... I don't like it when my sisters are sad." The last part was said quietly and with none of the familiar mirth, or the blonde's usual playfulness.

Yang suddenly spun around before she could formulate a response; leaving her with confusion, a face full of yellow hair, and several questions. "Yang you're so embarrassing!" Ruby yelled, apparently chalking up the sudden incident as one of her sister's usual playful antics. Blake wasn't as convinced. Was Yang really just teasing her like always? That had almost come off as a... threat?

Maybe it was just her over thinking things? Surly it was just Yang being Yang, and messing around with her like always. She needed to stop giving herself additional headaches and just enjoy her weekend. She already had enough relationship problems to deal with.

"I swear I will leave you behind, Yang Xiao Long, if you continue to embarrass me in public!" Weiss said sharply while pointing a finger at the fun loving snow haired girl was smartly dressed in an elegant, yet simple white sundress. The Schnee dust company's logo softly outlined with blue lines on the front and back of the dress. A pretty and elegant necklace was wrapped around her neck; a bluish silver snowflake hanging off of a white interlocking chain.

At least someone in this group could dress without causing Blake to likely have an extremely long "shower time" when they got home.

The four girls had decided to begin their weekend together by spending a Friday afternoon in downtown Vale. The streets were packed with people enjoying the start of the weekend, while taking in the sights of the city decorated for the upcoming Vytal festival. Special "limited time only" merchandise was being hawked at nearly every street corner; tickets for the tournament, miniatures of Amity Colosseum, posters and flags of the various Kingdoms.

The festival was always a big deal for any sponsoring city and it seemed Vale would be no different. Blake couldn't look anywhere without seeing at least one flag of red and gold with the words 40th Vytal Festival on them, waving proudly in the breeze.

"So it's this mall right?" The blonde member of the team asked after Weiss's lecture on modesty was concluded. The four Huntresses had reached a large shopping center; heavily trafficked with people, most of them with arms filled to the brim with expensive goods.

"Yes, myself and Blake agreed we would go clothes shopping together. I happened to find a store with favorable reviews in this mall." The heiress was the one in charge of this outing, something that Blake was quite happy with. She was gonna get some of that fancy underwear... and normal clothes.

Now that she actually had a dependable source of income thanks to the school's "allowance program" she could afford to splurge a little and buy unnecessary clothing. She wouldn't have to be stuck in her combat uniform for simple trips around town like she was right now.

"Ok, you wanna hit the arcade while the fancy girls are shopping Rubes?" The boobs... wait no... Yang asked.

"Yeah sure! Oh! Could we go to a weapon shop too? Apparently there's a new ACOG that's out that can automatically make range adjustments out too 500 meters for different elemental dust cartridges! You can just input what size and type you're using! Isn't that crazy!?" The smallest member of the team gushed with her arms above her head, attempting to emphasize this new apparent wonder in scope technology.

"Umm, yeah sure Ruby. You two have fun! Let's go find your gun thing Rubes." The two sisters set off into the sea of mall shoppers. Blake stared at both of their swaying behinds as they walked away. She couldn't help it... why did they both have to have such amazing bodies? Remnant was a cruel world.

"Well then shall we be on our way Blake?" her snow haired companion asked.

"Yeah let's go. What's this place called again?"

"Vasilias Secrets." her teammate answered knowledgeably.

* * *

"It's so expensive... why?" Ruby wined, her face in a cute pout.

'You already knew it was going to be right?" Yang asked, rolling her eyes at her younger sister's predictable antics as they left the weapon shop.

"Yeah but still... I would have to save up like a years worth of allowance!"

"Yeah, yeah; lets hit the games now!" Yang suggested happily and began leading the way towards the mall's arcade.

As the two sister's were walking down the crowded mall, a wolf whistle called out along with, "Hey girls, what's happening?"

Ruby turned her head to her left side and spotted two guys staring at them; both tall, cute, and likely around Yang's age. One of the older boy's winked at her while she was staring at them in surprise.

She froze and blushed, unsure of what she should do...

"Sorry boys it's family outing time right now. If ya see me again give me a holler ok?" Her older sister winked back, grabbed her hand, and they were soon back on their trek towards the arcade.

"Why did you have us wear these clothes Yang! I feel like I'm flashing everyone my boobs whenever I bend over and these shorts are too small! I miss my leggings..." Ruby complained looking down at her exposed legs... they were so ugly and pale...

Yang stopped walking and sighed, releasing her hand. "We still haven't talked about it have we? I was kinda hoping you would tell your big sis without me bringing it up... What happened between you and Blake after our talk?"

"There's nothing to tell. I got rejected." Ruby quickly answered and continued walking; passing by Yang.

"R-Ruby!?" her sister exclaimed and grabbed her arm, stopping her advance.

"Ruby... Hey... Why don't we start looking for people to date together! We'll be a seductive tag team! Two sisters flirting up the place, that's like a lot of people's fantasies! The guys and ladies won't stand a chance! You can take first pic on the girls and I can take the guys!" her big sister looked down at her and smiled widely at her ingenious plan.

Ruby looked away from the lilac eyes eagerly awaiting her response, "No thanks Yang, I'm not looking to date anybody." she gently pulled herself out of her sister's grasp and continued walking forward.

The pair reached the arcade without speaking another word to each other.

Ruby looked around at the cramped space filled with different electronic games, loudly playing various theme songs or blasting the sounds of lasers and fake gunfire. Before she could decided on which game to play first Yang grabbed her arm again.

"What... what about Blake? Do you still want to date her?" She almost didn't hear her older sister's question over all the arcade sounds. Ruby refused to turn around and look back at her.

"What? No, of course not. She doesn't like me like that." Why was Yang bothering her with this? It was already done and over with. Blake didn't like her. She had already gotten over it!

She didn't need to date anyone anyway. She already had her Huntress studies to focus on, and who would want to date her anyway? This was all stupid and she didn't want to talk about it!

She tried to pull herself out of Yang's grip, but it only tightened. " B-Blake can't take her eyes off you. You know that right?" Ruby didn't respond; she had noticed, but Blake's stares were out of guilt and pity. The dark haired beauty always looked at her so sadly ever since that night in the library. It was her fault for making Blake feel so bad.

"...I'm really jealous, you know..." Yang admitted so softly that Ruby almost didn't hear her.

"What?" Ruby turned back around and looked at her sister in confusion.

Yang didn't say anything for a long time. The loud electronic noises of the happy arcade filled the suddenly wide and empty space dividing the two silent sisters.

Yang hung her head down; long blonde hair obscuring Ruby's view of her older sister's face.

"It's nothing Rubes!" Her big sister suddenly bounced back up with so much enthusiasm that it left her momentarily speechless at the sudden change in emotions.

"Let's go play some games!" Yang released her and walked off towards some fighting game. Ruby followed and convinced herself that she had simply misheard Yang.

* * *

"Thanks for taking me here Weiss." Blake said sincerely to her smaller... friend? Surely lingerie and clothes shopping together equaled friendship between two girls right?

"It was no problem Blake, I greatly enjoyed myself as well. I've never shopped with a... friend before." The heiress admitted to the bow haired girl, giving a slight blush that colored her normally pale skin.

Huh? So they really were friends now? Who would have thought this would happen between the two of them? A Faunus and a Schnee friends; it was the start of several bad jokes that usually ended up with one of the two dead at the end.

The two young huntresses in training walked together in comfortable silence with paper bags filled with clothes and fancy underwear swinging happily in their arms. As the two walked through the busy mall Blake suddenly stopped when she smelled... cookies?

Following her nose, the delicious scent of freshly baked cookies led her to a mall kiosk with a bright pink sign advertising "Kerry's Freshly Baked Cookies".

'Are you hungry Blake? I would expect this more from Ruby" Weiss asked with a dubious tone in her voice at the sight of the obnoxiously pink cookie store.

"No... but maybe... I could get Ruby something?" The girl loved cookies, and Blake owned her an apology anyways. Ruby would probably be incredibly happy if she got her some of the sugary treats! Blake could just imagine the smaller girl's happy reaction.

Pleased with her idea, Blake walked up to the kiosk and ordered a bakers dozen of chocolate chip cookies. The price practically destroyed what little amount of money she still had left... but it would be worth it to see Ruby happy.

Apparently she got some special deal with the baker's dozen because her purchase was placed in a cute pink cardboard box with red hearts dotting it. The cashier even asked if the cookies were for herself or if it was a gift. Blake responded that they were a gift, so the cashier brought out a small pink card and ask who she should write that the cookies were from and for.

After a fair deal of blushing, Blake gave the cashier her and Ruby's names, and the card was placed in the pink box and sealed with a sticker in the shape of a cookie... these people really went all out.

Taking her purchase of sweets, she walk back over to Weiss who gave her a strange look. Blake ignored it and placed the box of warm cookies into one of her larger bags with her newly purchased clothes. She was about to suggest that they find the sisters when yelling interrupted her.

"Stop that damn thief!"

Turning towards the rising sounds of chaos, Blake saw two security guards running after a single figure ducking and weaving through a crowd of confused mall shoppers.

The figure was small, dressed in ragged clothes and had a stereotypical ski mask on, masking their features. The thief cleared the crowd of mall shoppers and suddenly changed course and charged towards herself and Weiss.

Reaching for Gambol Shroud, Blake was suddenly assaulted by a piercing noise that made all four of her ears feel like knifes were being twisted inside of them.

Her Fanuas ears involuntarily flatted on top of her head, and she placed both of her hands on top of her bow as well in an attempt at protection from the incredibly violent sound. Blinking away tears, she saw the thief run past Weiss and disappear further into the mall; lost in another crowd of shoppers.

The security guards soon ran passed her as well, still attempting to catch the swift thief. Blake doubted they would be able to.

She was about to ask if the heiress was ok, but before she could, Weiss gave a horrified gasp.

"My necklace!?" Placing her hands on her neck Weiss frantically looked around, searching for the lost jewelry.

Blake looked back towards the direction of the pursuing guards and rapidly escaping thief.

"Hold these." she placed her shopping backs into her new friend's arms and sprinted after the fleeing figure. The thief was fast, but not faster than a huntress in training and former terrorist. Blake rapidly closed the distance, expertly dodging the mall's patrons and soon overtaking the pursuing guards. She quickly re-spotted her fleeing target and closed in on the thief.

Suddenly they turned right, exiting out of an emergency exit and sounding a fire alarm that echoed throughout the mall. Blake went through the exit as well, entering an alleyway, but lost sight of the thief. Looking left and right she barely spotted the thief escaping towards her right, down into another alleyway. However, strangely she heard frantic and heavy footsteps towards her left even though she saw nothing down that way. Trusting her eyes over her ears she sprinted right, further closing the rapidly dwindling distance with her prey. The small figure turned left; into an alleyway and a dead end.

The thief undeterred, attempted to climb the brick wall ending the alleyway, but was harshly stopped by Blake throwing her ballistic chain scythe around her prey's ankle and violently pulling them back down onto the street's hard concrete floor. Hitting the ground with a feminine grunt, the thief swiftly rolled over and took off the black ski mask. Two large furry ears popped out.

"Sister wait! I'm one of you!" the slightly feminine voice yelped in desperation. Blake froze. The thief was a... fox? Wolf? Some sort of canine Faunus and a young one at that; around Ruby's age.

"I'm sorry about the noise. I know it really hurts Fanuas ears." The thief pointed towards her own canine ears. Blake's concealed ears twitched, moving her bow slightly.

She retracted Gamble Shroud, releasing the thief. "Give back the necklace and I'll let you go."

Walking closer she saw the Faunus thief had short, choppy, orange hair with large fur covered ears of the same color, if however a little darker in tone, protruding from (what she assumed to be) the young girl's head.

"Ok, Ok!" The Faunus threw her Weiss's necklace, which she deftly caught. "I didn't know Schnee's had Faunus Huntresses as bodyguards! They must be paying you a fortune! I can't believe a Faunus would work directly for one... but hey I understand! We all gotta do what we gotta do!"

Ignoring the canine Faunus's mistaken interpretation of her and Weiss's relationship she continued slowly walking towards the thief. "I'll let you go... but if I ever catch you stealing again..." Blake put on her most ferocious glare; which seemed to successfully scare the younger Faunus, judging by the wide eyed emerald eyes.

"Blake!" Weiss's voice called out from somewhere behind her.

"Weiss! I'm over here!" she called back.

Glaring back again at the orange haired thief she holstered Gambol Shroud. "Don't mention that I'm a Faunus. Or there will be problems." Blake said threateningly, with the voice she hadn't used since her days in the White Fang.

Confused, scared, and still sitting on the cold ground; the younger, frightened Faunus quickly nodded up at her.

"There you are!" a panting voice called from behind the secret cat Faunus.

Turning around she saw it was Weiss; arms carrying all of their shopping bags and running towards her as fast as the heiress's slim legs could manage. When Weiss reached her side, Blake handed back her stolen necklace.

"Here... I got it back." Blake said with a smile lighting her face. She was proud of her small act of chivalry.

"Thank you." The heiress said gratefully; placing their bags down and putting her snowflake necklace back on. Looking at the cornered thief, disgust quickly marred Weiss's features. "I should have know it was a thieving Faunus! It always is! That's all your kind knows what to do!"

Blake's proud smile quickly fell from her face and turned into a conflicted frown...

* * *

It was Ruby's worst nightmare... two of her closest friends fighting.

She still wasn't sure what had happened between Blake and Weiss; something about letting a Faunus that had attempted to steal Weiss's necklace go free at the mall. All she knew for sure was that the disagreement had spiraled out of control.

"You are defending a thief that stole from me! That filthy Faunus will likely end up joining the White Fang you know! How can you defend an animal like that!?"

"Stop calling her an animal! Stop calling her a filthy Faunus! It's people like Cardin! People like you! That are the reasons why so many Faunus join the White Fang in the first place and why they resort to such drastic measures!"

The two had been fighting ever since Ruby and her sister had rejoined them after the fire alarm in the mall went off. Back at the dorm room they were still at it. Ruby didn't know what to do. Even Yang seemed to be on the side lines, at a lost and unsure of what to say or do that could stop the heated argument.

"People like me!? I'm a victim! What don't you understand about that!?"

"You're a victim!? You're the one that doesn't understand anything! You are a spoiled, ignorant, rich girl who has had everything in life! You have no idea what it means to struggle!"

Ruby had never heard Blake raise her voice in such anger before, or witnessed her friend so visibly mad.

"Shut up! You have no idea what my life was like!" Ruby saw that Weiss was now nearly on the verge of angry tears.

"Blake... Weiss... please just... stop fighting." she begged softly.

Ignoring her, Weiss continued yelling.

"The Faunus have done nothing but ruin my life! Especially those filthy animals in the White Fang! They've stolen everything from me; including my childhood! They're a blight on the world!"

"Well THIS filthy animal got your stupid necklace back! I wish I had just let the thief run off with it! You think you're the only one who's childhood was stolen!? Well guess what?! You humans stole mine first! Along with every single other Faunus's in the White Fang!" Blake yelled louder and more passionately than Ruby had ever heard the normally quiet and reserved girl speak.

Ruby's heart stopped after she processed what Blake had actually said... and after a few seconds Blake's face turned a pale white.

"... What did you say...?" Weiss asked in a shocked whisper.

The team's room was completely silent... until...

"I-I..." Blake stuttered, slowly backing away, and seeming to be on the verge of hyperventilating. Quickly Ruby went over and gently touched Blake's arm, halting the Faunus's retreat.

"It's ok Blake... calm down." Ruby said softly. She felt her friend shaking. "It's ok... I'm here Blake."

After an agonizing thirty seconds of tense silence; Blake slowly reached up and untied her bow. She let the little black string that had once served as her protection from the humans, escape from her hands, and slowly drift down onto the dorm's cold floor... revealing two furry kitty ears.

No one said anything for a long moment... until Weiss spoke up again.

"... I thought we were friends... I trusted you... I see I was wrong. You don't belong here."

"Ok, Ok... let's all just calm down. We're all still friends here." Yang jumped in using her "understand big sister voice."

"No we are not! Didn't you hear her!" Weiss's head turned from Yang to Ruby rapidly; her white ponytail flying behind her, and blue eyes widening with barely contained fury.

"She's one of the White Fang! All of the Faunus who join them are thieves, liars, and murderers! She is everything we fight against! Monsters lurking in the darkness, that want to do nothing but destroy all of humanity!" Weiss yelled pointing an accusing finger directly at Blake.

"That's not true! Blake is a Faunus, but she's not part of the White Fang! We know her! I know her! How could you say any of that Weiss! That's not who Blake is!" Ruby yelled back at her own partner, defending her furry eared friend.

She felt a larger hand on top of her own; the one that was softly touching Blake's arm in support and comfort.

It was pushed off...

Surprised, Ruby turned towards Blake and saw her stepping away, moving towards the door and exiting the threshold of the team's doorway.

"Blake?" she called out to her friend, confused.

The now uncovered Faunus looked back into Ruby's eyes with shame, guilt, and unshed tears. "I'm so sorry Ruby."

Blake stood outside the team's dorm room, and Ruby felt panic assault her heart... Blake was leaving.

"Please... don't go. We'll work this all out Blake... I know you're a good person; Weiss is just upset right now... please just... don't leave again." Ruby begged from the bottom of her soul, and did the best she could at controlling her now quivering voice.

Blake turned away from her.

"I'm not a good person Ruby... I wish I was... but I'm not. You should just forget about me; it's better that way... But I'll never forget about you."

… and then she ran... again.

Leaving behind her fallen black bow and a heartbroken Ruby Rose; who fell to her knees and held back warm tears.

* * *

 **Hello! Hope everyone is doing good so far in the new year. Thank you for the reviews; Shadow390, timrocks99, Tommy298, THB4, Zaralann, and Nagaichi. I've received comments on my use of italics for dialogue a couple times now so I won't be doing that anymore, unless I get a strong response to go back to that format.**

 **I also wanted to say thanks again to merendinoemiliano, MementoMori115, DennyIsMenece, Bookah, and MrFox7189 for your continued reviews! All of them me a lot to me.**

 **Shadow390 and THB4 don't worry I have plans for the scheming bunny girl... constantly plotting in her rabbit hole...**

 **Bookah it's funny you brought up the Strawberry Sunrises, for some reason I just really didn't want to make them alcoholic for that scene... still not sure why lol. It's not like a small amount of alcohol would have changed that scene much (unless Ruby's a light weight) but I went back and change the scene to say that Yang specially ordered a virgin version.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

* * *

Blake awoke to an unknown ceiling. Her amber eyes slowly blinking away, what had been a very troubled sleep.

Confused; she gazed sleepily at the ceiling's wooden texture; the horrible memories quickly seeped back into her waking mind, reminding her that she was nothing but a cowardly and pathetic runaway.

Blake shifted her stiff body covered with a pale blue blanket and slowly sat up; she was on a small couch and still in her combat uniform. The room she was in was small and a little rundown. A fairly old T.V. set was in front of the worn couch she had been laying on and the room's tan colored walls were peeling. The old walls looked like they hadn't had a fresh coat of paint on them in years.

A small figure moved towards the left side of the living room.

Looking over she saw it was a little girl with long orange hair and two large fox ears of a lighter shade atop her head; she couldn't have been older than eight years old. The small Faunus child wore a bright yellow Sarafan dress (a little wrinkled from age and use) and was looking curiosity at Blake with wide blue eyes; seeming to try and understand why a strange woman was lying on her coach.

Noticing that the older stranger was looking back at her, the small girl's body visibly stiffened in fear and she quickly scampered off around a corner.

Right... Blake remembered where she was now. She supposed she was luckily, considering she had been taken in by the kindness of practically a stranger. The world was a small and strangely ironic place sometimes.

Blake had been fully prepared to sleep in the streets after her flight from team RWBY... or team RWY now.

She reached into her pocket and found her scroll, clicking it open she saw the missed calls and text messages.

Ruby: 9 missed calls... 3 unread text messages.

Yang: 2 missed calls... 1 unread text message.

She clicked her scroll shut, closed her eyes, and wished that she hadn't woken up.

Her happy new life at Beacon had ended.

"You awake?" A somewhat familiar voice called out.

Looking back towards the left side of the room, she saw the young thief that she had cornered outside of the mall yesterday. The girl with short tomboyish orange hair and wolf ears, was standing in the doorway that separated the small living room, and what Blake assumed to be the kitchen and dinning area.

The thief was wearing a brown cargo jacket that seemed too big and ripped black jeans. The cargo jacket was undone reviling a simple white V-neck T-shirt and a flat chest, more masculine than feminine. Confused Blake looked back up at the fairly feminine face that looked only slightly older than Ruby's; she had assumed the thief was female but now looking a little closer...

"Yeah, I'm a guy." the thief responded casually to her questioning stares.

"Oh... I didn't mean to offend." She apologized to her unlikely rescuer. Even the voice was softer in tone when compared to most males.

The two Faunus had run into each other in the middle streets late last night; purely by chance or perhaps by some strange twist of fate. Blake imagined she must have looked completely distraught when the thief had found her because he had unexpectedly asked if she had a place to stay at. Responding that it wasn't any of their business whether she did or didn't, he ignored the rude response and then asked if the reason was because she had let him go despite the Schnee's obvious anger.

When she hesitated in responding, he had grabbed her hand and all but dragged her back to his small home located in what she assumed to be a Faunus ghetto.

Emotional and mentally exhausted, along with having nowhere else to go, she went along with him despite the fact that he was practically a stranger (although at the time she had assumed he was a she.)

"Don't worry about it. I get it all the time." He smiled widely back at her. "You want breakfast? Or I guess lunch now?"

Blake did the best she could in smiling back; she was in fact very hungry. "Yes I would, thank you."

Turning around he walked back into the kitchen, "Just make yourself at home! I'll let ya know when foods ready!"

Taking up his offer Blake decided to re-wrapped herself with the borrowed blanket. She covered herself completely and hid from the world. Within the comforting darkness she reopened her scroll and prepared herself.

The soft glow of the scroll illuminated the inside of her protective blanket cocoon, making the runaway feel like she was the only thing left in all of existence. She hadn't felt this alone in a very long time, but knew it was a feeling she deserved. She decided to read Yang's message first, it would be easier.

"If you don't come back, I'll find you and drag you back.- Love Yang your amazing partner. P.S when I see you I'm gonna punch you, so be ready for that ok? ;)"

Blake had no doubts that Yang would be searching for her (and punching her if she was found.) She briefly wondered what would happen to Yang if she never returned to Beacon. Would the school just assign her a new partner? Give her a bad grade or something? She hoped her running away wouldn't leave some sort of permanent bad mark on Yang's (or team RWY's) school records.

Now came the hard part... she clicked on Ruby's messages; "Blake, Weiss has calmed down. She said she'll apologize. So please come back.'

That was surprising, Blake had assumed Weiss would have, if anything, reported her to the authorities or refused to let her back on the team. She wondered what Ruby could have possibly said to the Schnee that calmed her down.

She read Ruby's next message; "I've called a bunch but you still haven't picked up Blake... please just let me know you're safe?"

Why hadn't she just thrown away her scroll when she had left the school? It would have made this all so much easier. She didn't want to think about what she was putting Ruby through. Her young (former) leader was so kind and good. She didn't deserve any of the problems or fallout that Blake was forcing her to deal with and clean up.

Blake forced herself to read Ruby's last message; "I miss you Blake. I'm not going back to classes on Monday if you don't come back! I'll be out searching for you all this weekend! And I'm not ever going to just forget about you! So you might as well just come back! You belong with us at Beacon. I'm going to find you Blake, I promised that I would always be there for you! And I meant it!"

After reading the last message several times Blake closed her scroll, curled into a fetal position, and tried to fade into the lonely artificial darkness that she had created.

Heartbroken, she stayed like that until lunch was ready.

* * *

"Excuse me? Have you seen this person?" Ruby asked sadly, holding up her scroll to what was around her twentieth person.

The tall woman was dressed in a nice business suit and was very pretty. Ruby would have been too shy to even think about talking to someone like her under normal circumstances. The "business lady" (as Ruby had dubbed in her head) looked at Ruby's scroll and politely said that she hadn't.

The familiar disappointment hit the young Huntress again for the twentieth time that day but she soldiered on. She wouldn't stop until she found Blake.

After the exposed Fanuas had disappeared last night from the dorm, Yang and Weiss had started yelling at each other. Ruby had been too consumed by such an overpowering feeling of abandonment, that she hadn't felt since childhood, to really pay attention to their angry words. She couldn't even bring herself to find the will to pick herself off of the floor.

When Yang and Weiss had finally stopped yelling; her big sister had picked her up off of her knees and practically carried her to bed. Yang had thrown the beds covers over both of them, and had held her until she fell asleep within her older sister's warm and caring embrace. It was something Yang hadn't done for Ruby since she had stopped crying at night over the lose of a mother she barely remembered.

When Ruby awoke the next morning; Yang and Weiss were gone, just like Blake.

Ruby got out of bed and looked around the completely empty room. She noticed that she was still in the same clothes as yesterday, so she went over to the bathroom, took a quick cold shower, and changed into her combat uniform. After she was done changing she made the mistake of thinking about how she was now completely alone. Despite her earnest pleads; Blake had still left her behind. All alone with no friends or family in sight; Ruby felt like a weak and lonely little girl who could do nothing but grieve and cry. Everyone that she cared about in her life was now gone again. It was just like when her mom had left her.

Ruby Rose's heart ached with profound sadness, and she quickly spiraled down into a dark pit of deep despondency. With an all consuming darkness surrounding her and threatening to completely devour her small soul; Ruby did what she had learned how to do as a child whenever the familiar depression returned and attempted to claim her small fragile happiness, and will to keep living. She denied it entirely.

Refusing to acknowledge or process the raw and overwhelming emotions, she stuffed them as deep inside of herself as she could manage and locked them away. The dark and far too heavy emotions were quickly forgotten. Ruby moved on without another thought or feeling, and focused on what needed to be done. She needed to find Blake.

Ruby searched for her discarded clothes from yesterday. When she found them still lying on the ground, she reached inside the pocket of her small black jean shorts and pulled out her scroll. Popping it open she saw that she had two messages. A small spark of hope flickered in her chest at the thought that perhaps Blake had messaged her. But it was swiftly snuffed out when she saw that the text messages were from Weiss and Yang.

She read Yang's first, "I talked with Weiss, we've reached an understanding Ruby, so try calling Blake to get her to come back. She won't pick up for me. I'll be out looking for her. Don't worry little sis I'll find her for you, if you don't beat me to it. -Love Yang your Big sis."

Ruby couldn't bring herself to smile at Yang's message. She would have to make sure she was normal again before seeing anyone else. If Ruby was seen the way she was now it would cause her friends and family to be sad as well, and it would be her fault. She had been selfish as a kid and had let Yang and dad see how sad she got sometimes; making them sad too. She wouldn't let it happen again.

Ruby read Weiss's message.

"Good Morning Ruby,

I apologize for my actions last night. Yang talked to me and I've calmed down. I still think Blake has a lot to explain for! But I'm willing to hear her out. I know how much Blake means to you and I did consider her my friend. I think that was why I was so upset when I learned she had been lying to us all this time. As long as she can give an adequate explanation for her involvement with... that group... I will attempt to apologize and reach a mutual understanding with her.

Respectfully Sent, Weiss Schnee."

Relief flooded into Ruby, maybe everything could go back to normal? She attempted to call Blake with the good news, but she didn't answer.

So she called again... nothing.

She called again... nothing.

She called again... nothing.

After her four failed attempts she sent Blake a text message and went out to join in the search.

Three hours, five unanswered calls, and another text message sent later, Ruby had nothing to show for her efforts. Signing sadly, she continued her slow walk down the busy downtown streets and tried not let her spirit fail her completely. She just had to keep walking and keep searching.

She asked another person (around her fortieth person) if they had seen the taller girl in the picture that she had displayed her scroll. Ruby's mind now practically on autopilot barely registered who she was talking to anymore. The stranger, a girl slightly taller than herself looked closely at the picture before responding with earnest regret.

"I'm sorry, no I have not. Is this a friend of yours? Are they lost!?" Surprised at the stranger's distressed response and question, Ruby came off of autopilot and actually looked at the girl. She had short curly orange hair and wore a pink bow. Wearing a white and gray blouse, outlined with green; the expressive girl with a cutely freckled face and almost glowing green eyes looked intently back into Ruby's own silvered eyes.

"Umm... yeah. That is my friend... and they are lost... kinda." Ruby answered slowly. She hadn't gotten this kind of reaction from the other 39 people she had asked before.

"That's terrible! I can see by this adorable picture you two are the closest of friends!" The freckled girl's green eyes almost seemed to tear up in sympathetic sadness. Ruby almost blushed at the girl's completely earnest and open feelings; also the picture was a little embarrassing too.

It was the only picture she had of just her and Blake. The taller girl had an arm wrapped around Ruby's shoulders and wore an almost cocky grin on her face. Ruby herself just looked awkward, shy, and embarrassed with a blush adorning her cheeks. The picture had been taken by Velvet after Blake had interrupted one of their photo shoots. For some reason when Blake had walked into the small Beacon Academy park that the bunny Faunus was using for background; the two taller girls grew tense around each other and wouldn't stop glaring at one another over Ruby's shorter head.

Blake had told Velvet that maybe she should inform Ruby's incredibly protective older sister, "You know the one that goes Super Sayian." that Velvet was taking pictures of her innocent little sister. Or that maybe Velvet could just give Blake the pictures so she could inspect them and wouldn't have to tell Yang about them. Velvet had reluctantly agreed, but then Blake also "asked" if the bunny girl could take a picture of Ruby and Blake with her fancy camera, "You know, as a way of saying thanks..."

The bunny Faunus glared harshly at the secret kitty Faunus for some reason; but still took the picture of her and Blake. Ruby's crush had pulled the younger girl close to her side as the picture was being taken. Blake's arm had been protectively (almost possessively) wrapped around Ruby's shoulders. She still remembered the feeling of Blake's soft chest pressed against her upper arm. Along with the lovely scent of Blake's light floral perfume. It was closest and most intimate moment of physical contact that she had ever shared with the pretty, dark haired belle of her team.

After making sure the picture was sent to their scrolls Blake had walked smugly away, and Velvet seemed grumpy for the rest of their time together for some reason. Ruby still wasn't sure what exactly had been going on with all of that...

"You must be heart broken! I don't have many friends... but if I did, I would be devastated if one of them were lost!" The girl exclaimed as if she herself was grieving because of Blake's disappearance; breaking Ruby from her memory.

"Uhh... yeah I am... If you see her can you let me know?" It wasn't often that Ruby was weird-ed out by another person's social quirks (she herself had more than a few). The orange haired girl didn't seem bad, just a little different.

"It would be my pleasure! I'll make it my top priority!" The strange girl gave Ruby a happy, yet some how at the same time serious salute.

"Ok... thanks friend." Ruby needed to get back to searching for Blake; so she passed by the girl, (who now seemed frozen in her salute for some reason) and continued walking the streets.

She didn't make it very far before the same girl somehow popped back up in front of her.

"What did you call me?"

* * *

The food was good if simple. Eggs sunny-side up, fresh blueberries, and some small pieces of chicken cooked with a garlic sauce. The runaway hadn't eaten since yesterday morning and quickly devoured her meal. Blake hadn't had a home cooked meal in years, and sitting at a dinning room table with a family brought back bittersweet memories. The homely meal and atmosphere improved her mood somewhat.

"Leesah stop being so nervous, you haven't even touched your food!" The older sibling playfully chastised his younger sister (at least Blake assumed that's what they were.)

"Yes Volk..." The small girl began nervously picking at her blueberries; only eating one or two slowly while shooting Blake shy glances in between her soft chewing.

"Sorry she's normally more open, but Huntresses are like the coolest thing ever to her. She's all nervous." The now named Volk told her with a happy grin as he playfully ruffled his sister's messy orange hair.

Blake felt bad, having just now realized that she had forgotten to ask the male Faunus's name. "Thank you, Volk. I really appreciated all this. Do you two live here alone?"

"Pretty much. Sometimes our Grandma comes and visits. She's the one that owns the place, but it's just me and her for the most part."

The first question that came to Blake's mind was what happened to the siblings parents? However she decided it would be rude to ask, and she wasn't really up for another tragic Faunus backstory right now. She still had her own to deal with.

Finishing up the last piece of chicken on his plate, Volk with some hesitation in his voice asked her; "So... did you get fired because of me?" His wolf ears lowered slightly in sadness and most likely guilt.

"I don't work for Wei-... the Schnee. We're students at Beacon on the same team."

"You're a student at Beacon!? A future Huntress?!" The little girl, Leesah, exclaimed loudly.

Surprised at the fox Faunus's sudden excited reaction, Blake looked at her from across the table and saw that the young girl's eyes were now starstruck. Blake had forgotten to most people Hunters and Huntresses were wonders of heroism, bravery, and power. Real life heroes who represented the very best of humanity and Faunus kind. Everyone admired them; they were the great guardians of civilization.

Most kids grew up wishing for a chance to become a Hunter or Huntress. After all what child didn't want to be a hero admired by all? Blake however certainly didn't feel worthy of that admiration now. She certainly hadn't been living up to it.

"I-I was... not so sure anymore." Blake felt her own Faunus ears lower in sadness. Strangely despite how uncomfortable it had been to keep her cat ears wrapped up all the time, she still missed that stupid ribbon for some reason.

"What happened?" The older brother asked. Both of the canine siblings looking at her with worry and sympathy.

"I... I got in a argument with Wei- the Schnee, and lost my temper. I said somethings I shouldn't have and... exposed myself." The words didn't seem to give the situation justice. It was all so much more than that... wasn't it?

"So what, she just got you kicked of the Hunter's school!? Because of what!? That you're a Faunus!?" Volk asked loudly and angrily. Leesah seemed frightened by her older brother's suddenly raised voice and tried to make herself as small as possible in her dinning room chair, while her large fox ears flattened on top of her head.

"No... I ran... It wasn't just because I'm a Faunus."

The wolf Faunus suddenly stood up from his chair, almost knocking it over. He was shaking with righteous fury at the thought of the possible injustice levied against her.

"What possible reason could she have had to drive you away then! Or was it some other reason? Are you part of the White Fang or something crazy like that?! Did you suck at classes? Love drama? Bullies? Ran out of money? Got caught stealing? Couldn't handle the-"

"The first and third..." Blake interrupted the feminine male's wild (but accurate) guessing.

"Uhh... which were those again?" Volk brought both hands up to his hair, closed his eyes and attempted to viciously scratch the answers out of his head.

"The White Fang or something, and love drama Volk." The little sister kindly helped her older brother.

"Oh... well can't say I'm surprised about the White Fang, you're pretty badass... and scary. But a Faunus having love drama with a Schnee?! That's something out of one of those terrible soap operas!"

"They're not terrible Volk! You can learn a lot from them..." Leesah seemed offended of her brother's opinion on television drama. Blake wondered if most kids her age watched Atlas soap got graphic sometimes.

"I used to be with the Fang, but not anymore. And the love drama wasn't with the Schnee. It was with... another person." Blake was reminded once again of her pathetic guilt and heartache. She was such a coward, refusing to even message Ruby back that she was safe or tell her that she missed her as well.

"Oh... well don't worry! You can stay here for as long as yeah like! I can't say I totally agree with the White Fang thing but... well they're paying me so I can't talk too much shit about them!"

"Volk! No cursing in the house!" Leesah said angrily, her fox ears pulling back in aggression.

"Hehe sorry. I forgot." He gave his little sister a bright and wide smile. She didn't seem to buy it.

"The Fang's paying you? For what?" Blake knew that the White Fang hired people for various small jobs. Most were fairly safe; handing out fliers, seeing what businesses wouldn't sell to Faunus, organizing rallies and social events to help spread the Cause. Things that were only dangerous once the humans decided that enough was enough.

However the Fang also hired people to do more dangerous things; like spy on important humans, get in close with law enforcement to tip the White Fang off when they got too close, vandalize anti-faunus businesses, harass humans who took one too many wrong turns in dark alleyways.

"You don't know? The White Fang's paying people crazy amounts of Lien for dust. Even small amounts of it!" Volk reached into a pocket in his jacket and pulled out several large clear glass vials, filled to the brim with dust. Red, blue, green, yellow... it was a hefty amount but certainly nothing too crazy; many Hunters and Huntresses (especially ones like Weiss) carried around the same amount sometimes.

"The Fang wants dust? Why?"

"No idea... don't really care as long as it helps our income." Volk grabbed the vials and stuffed them back in his jacket.

"Volk... I don't like it when you steal..." The little girl said sadly, her face downcast.

"I know Leesah... but you gotta do, what you gotta do sometimes. I don't take enough to put anyone out of business. You have to keep going to that fancy school, and somebody has to pay for it."

" I can just go to a normal school." the small fox Faunus whispered back angrily.

"Where they'll treat you like crap?! No way! You're smarts aren't gonna get wasted by those jealous assholes! We've been over this how many times!?"

Blake felt like she was intruding on something that was private. So she quickly interrupted before the siblings could continue their escalating conversation. "Whatever they're gathering dust for it can't be good. You shouldn't associate with the White Fang, trust me I know. Where do you hand the dust off to them?"

"I go over to a warehouse by the docks and sell it to them there. You wanna come with the next time I go? I'll be heading over there tomorrow night. I owe you that much at least for letting me go."

This could be a small chance at redemption and maybe a way to prove she wasn't a completely worthless person. If the Fang had some nefarious plan for Vale then she couldn't just let it happen without at least attempting to try and prevent it. It was her duty and responsibility to stop the misguided group as a former member of it.

"Yeah. I'll go."

"Ok, but I'm gonna sell the dust first. You know... so... just wait until I'm done. Before you go all crazy badass Huntress on them. Ok?"

"No promises."

* * *

Ruby was feeling a little better now.

Mostly because of her new friend Penny; the kind girl had stuck by Ruby's side the entire day. Her honest questions and sympathetic responses let Ruby open up and just let her feelings out. After hours of searching, Ruby had told the curly orange haired girl practically everything. Beside omitting the details of Blake's possible connection towards the White Fang. She however did accidentally reveal Blake's other secret. She hadn't meant to reveal Blake being a Faunus, but Penny was too smart. The bow did look like kitty ears once it was pointed out.

She had told Penny about her crush on Blake, about her rejection, and about how much she missed and cared for Blake. Penny had told her that Blake would probably want to know about all of that too, and that she should send her another message with her honest feelings. So Ruby had poured her heart out in a text message, but Blake still hadn't responded.

"Ruby it's getting late. My father told me it's dangerous to wander at night."

Ruby sighed. Penny was right, she would have to try again in the morning. Maybe she could talked with Weiss and Yang, and come up with a better plan? After saying her goodbyes and thanks to Penny, they both agreed to meet up in the same spot tomorrow morning and continue the search then.

Ruby made her lonely trek back towards Beacon feeling like a complete failure.

When she reached the team dorm room she waited outside for a few moments and let herself imagine that when she open it Blake would be inside waiting for her.

... she wasn't... But Yang and Weiss were.

Yang immediately gave her a warm hug; while Weiss avoided her gaze and went back to reorganizing the shopping bags that she and Blake had purchased yesterday. The heiress had placed Blake's bags on the missing girl's bed, along with her abandoned ribbon. However she kept rearranging them; seeming to be attempting to get them in some perfect order and alignment that was lost on Ruby.

The girls didn't say anything to each other, expect for acknowledging that no one had made any real progress in finding Blake.

After changing into her pajamas Ruby felt a wave of fatigue hit her, so she climbed up and collapsed on her bed. She was nearly asleep when Weiss softly spoke from below her. "Ruby... Blake got you a gift at the mall. You shouldn't let them go to waste. It's on her bed; the right bag." Ruby had never heard Weiss sound so small and fragile before.

Ruby was half asleep but she jumped off her bed and turned to Weiss; softly whispered back. "Thanks, Weiss" The snow haired girl's back was facing Ruby as she lay on her bed, and she didn't give any indications that she had heard her.

Walking over towards Blake and Yang's side of the room, she looked up and saw that Yang was already asleep. Ruby came to the foot of Blake's bed and saw the two bags and Blake's discarded black ribbon. Another wave of sadness hit her, but she took a deep breath and reached inside one of the paper shopping bags.

She pulled out a pair of panties. Black and purple with a cute little bow on the front.

She pulled out another. A lacy black thong partially see through between the thin threading.

She pulled out another. Red and black styled with roses.

"Blake bought me sexy underwear?" Was this some weird dream or something?

"What!? I said the right bag you dolt!"

"What!? Let me see! How sexy are we talking?!"

Weiss and Yang apparently hadn't been really sleeping.

* * *

"So this is the place?"

"Yeah, this is it."

The two Faunus were at a rather large warehouse near the docks the next night. After Volk did some secret knock on a rusting metal door, a male deer Faunus opened it slightly. He was wearing the familiar grim mask used by the White Fang. The sight caused many unpleasant memories to resurface in Blake.

The White Fang member, seeing that they both were fellow Faunus asked what the two wanted. Volk discretely took out the vials of dust from his jacket and showed the masked Faunus. He looked at the dust and closed the aging door. Blake heard some muffled voices inside talking and then a large metal latch unlocking. The rusty door swung open with a groan and the two were ushered inside.

The warehouse had piles of shipping crates stuffed with several different types of (likely stolen) dust in various containers scattered around. About twenty White Fang members were inside, most of them occupied with sorting and organizing the varies different types of dust, and marking them with their respective element on the shipping containers.

Two White Fang members walked up towards them, while the deer Faunus closed the steel door behind Blake and Volk... he proceeded to re-locked it.

"How much you got?" One of the White Fang asked. Blake was slightly surprised that no one seemed to recognized her. She had thought that Adam would have made a wanted poster or something by now.

Volk pulled out the vials of dust and began haggling for a price.

While "negotiations" were being conducted Blake looked around the warehouse more carefully and methodically. She quickly spotted a girl lounging in the center of the warehouse on top of several crates. The girl was wearing a rather stylish if old fashioned white and pink jacket, brown pants, and white high heels. She looked incredibly bored and was lazily texting on a scroll.

Her hair was strikingly exotic. Something Blake had never seen before. Tri-colored; half pink, half brown, and with a small streak white. The unusual girl noticed her staring; she smirked and shot Blake a quick wink from up high.

"Agreed; here's your Lien."

"And here's your dust. Pleasure doing business with ya. So what's all this for anyways?"

"None of your business girly. Now leave."

Apparently Volk's goal was successful but Blake's was not. Asking politely, unsurprisingly hadn't worked. Taking her eyes off the tri-colored girl; Blake decided on plan B and turned towards Volk.

"You go, I'll be out in a minute."

"S-Sure... don't take long."

Volk turned to leave but was stopped by the deer Faunus, who looked up towards the girl sitting on the crates. She smiled back down and nodded; the door guard quickly unlocked the door and after Volk walked through he quickly re-locked it.

So the girl was in charge... strange... she looked human.

Blake was glad she had given Leesah her scroll in-case something unexpected happened to her or Volk. The little girl had been instructed to call her (possibly former) teammates, if the two didn't return in two hours. At the very least the wolf Faunus was probably safe now.

She made her move. "Tell me what the White Fang wants with all this dust, and I'll let you all go free and uninjured." Blake was confident in her combat skills, but against twenty people in a fairly small confined space, was pushing even her formidable skills to the limit. However she had gone up against worst odds before.

Not to mention these terrorist members seemed little more than normal Faunus simply doing manual labor for an organization they believed in. They were obviously not the White Fang's best warriors, and they wouldn't be able to use firearms with all this dust around.

The pink, white, and brown haired girl, gracefully jumped off the crates, landed elegantly, and began sensually strutting over to Blake with a mischievous smirk on her admittedly beautiful face. The other White Fang members quickly got out of her way.

Blake reached behind her and pulled out Gambol Shroud in it's cleaver form; the ballistic chain scythe had been concealed on her person. They really should have patted her down before letting her just walk in here. It seemed this arrogant girl would be the only real threat.

The tri-colored girl; who Blake now saw was much shorter than herself, reached behind her back and pulled out a... pink lace umbrella? A Victorian parasol?

The girl now armed with her unusual "weapon" stopped just outside of striking distance from Blake. Her eye color was strange to. Pink in one eye and brown in the other. The shorter girl looked up at her, still smirking and blinked. The colors switched between the two eyes...

The next thing Blake Belladonna knew was that she was now upside down and being thrown face first into the rusty metal door that had half a second ago been behind her.

* * *

 **Hiya! Thank you, EmeraldGuardian7, fixeddiagram13, A Guest, 1Fanfanatick, Scorch the 13th, and ObsidianFlames387 for the reviews. merendinoemiliano I agree Weiss is a little exaggerated in this, I figured Blake and Weiss having a more developed friendship would cause an argument between them to be more heated. Both of them saying harsher things than in the show.**

 **Glad to see people are enjoying the direction the story is going, the "sexiness", and Yang and Velvet's role in all of this. Sorry for the "Oofs" and cliffhangers lol.**


	8. Chapter 8

****Chapter Eight****

* * *

Ruby munched on her stale chocolate chip cookies as Weiss plotted out the new search areas team RWY would be trying to find B in.

Looking down into her now nearly emptied box of cookies sitting in her lap that Blake had gotten her along with the cute little card; Ruby gave a happy smile for the first time in nearly two days. Even gone Blake was still able to make her feel special and cause her heart to flutter with girly joy. There was no way Ruby wasn't ever going to see Blake again… she would find her friend no matter what!

Ruby had found the gift cookies after last night's invasive ogling of Blake's nightwear preferences. Ruby could barely process the fact that Blake liked to wear such mature adult stuff! Just imagining the dark haired girl wearing some of those! It... it was to much for her imagination! Regardless; the cookies (and maybe the skimpy underwear a little to) had renewed her spirit and broken the unspoken tension that had seemed to hovered over the three remaining members of the team ever since Blake had runaway. The three girls were now working together, and huddled over the dorm room's laptop trying to find the ever-elusive Blake.

"I hate to be the realist in this situation, but Blake has likely already left Vale." Despite her clinical words, Weiss continued her speedy typing on the key board; printing out new search areas for the three girls to try and find Blake in. The heiress had insisted on buying a printer for the room much to the confusion and exasperation of her teammates when they all had first moved in together. Ruby was currently grateful for Weiss's printer… anything that could possible help them find Blake was absolutely worth having in her book right now. She would never again make fun of Weiss's "office space" in their dorm room ever again.

"That's where you're wrong ice queen! She's still in the city. And I have proof!" Yang smirked as she grabbed the printouts and handed them to her and Weiss.

"I'm sure you do… Please do to tell how you know Blake is still in the city… and don't call me ice queen!" Standing up Weiss shut off the dorm's computer and smoothed out the non-existent wrinkles on her combat skirt.

Ruby stood as well and taking the cue from her fancier partner; placed the pink cookie box on Weiss's desk and wiped off the cookie crumbs from her own combat skirt.

"I was looking in the funner parts of town and walked by two guys who were talking about a hot babe with cute cat ears and an amazing ass that they had passed by! Had to have been Blake!" Crossing her arms over her bust Yang's smirked widened in self-satisfaction, proud of her "discovered proof."

In rare unison both Ruby and Weiss sighed in exasperation and left the dorm room. Leaving the exuberant blonde and shutting the dorm's door behind them.

"Hey! What's wrong with you two! We can go find the guys if you want to ask them questions! I thought of that and got their numbers! They seemed cool! Ones totally your type Weissy! Tall and preppy! The other ones got a crazy cool monkey tail and abs that you could just… mmm…!"

Grabbing her keys to Bumblebee, Yang yelled after the two partners. "Wait for me! They even said she gave them a sexy smoldering glare! Who else but Blake does that!?"

* * *

Blake glared at her two captors as they discussed selling her back to the White Fang. Sore, beaten, defeated, and chained; it was all she could do besides growl menacingly.

"Yes, for the last time! I'm sure it's her! Cat ears, black hair, gun-chain-katana thing, glare that's getting really annoying!" The human working with the White Fang looked like a gaudy mob boss from thirty years ago. Roman Torchwick was his name and currently he was pointing his cane angrily at her as he continued to yelled into his scroll.

"Hey, she can't help it! She's always glaring! That's just her thing ok!" Blake turned her head to the side and directed her glared towards her fellow prisoner hanging from the back of the White Fang's Bullhead.

"See!" Volk yelled back at the two humans.

The small female that had defeated her with insulting ease, gave a silent giggle as she produced blindfolds for the two Faunus. Blake tried to pull against the chains she was hanging from, but the ones shackled to her feet kept her from pulling herself up or even swinging too much. She was thankful they didn't seem inclined to gag them as well. She had been silent when she regained consciousness and Volk seemed to be doing a great job at keeping the psycho girl with the umbrella entertained.

How in Remnant some random criminal got that deadly with a pink umbrella was beyond her. Only a few clever tricks with her clones had gotten her even close to landing a solid strike on the tri-haired colored girl.

Torchwick ended his call and decided to stink up the metal container of the Bullhead with a cigar. Taking a long drag before speaking, "Neo hurry up a blindfold them. I'm sick and tired of dealing with the headache our kitty cat is causing."

Neo looked more than happy to comply and skipped over to blindfold the two captives with black cloths. Blake didn't bother struggling, Volk however put up a meager resistance that only seemed to excite and amuse Neo.

"A-ahh! W-Where are you touching!?" Unfortunately for her fellow prisoner it seemed the crazy girl had taken a liking to him. Once the molesting ice cream haired girl was finished; the criminal that had gotten Ruby into Beacon Academy called out to the hanging pair of Faunus before leaving them.

"You better get me some good will with your ex-boyfriend kitty! We're way behind on our dust quota now! Come on Neo, lets wrap things up here. You can play with the wolfy eared one later as a reward."

The two criminals left their prisoners hanging in the back of the Bullhead.

…

…

"Sooo… You got a plan, right? I don't think I want to find out what Neo considers playing..."

Blake didn't respond.

Her "plan" currently was trying to keep the growing panic from consuming her completely. Blake had known that this was the likely outcome of being captured, but hearing it said out loud made it all so much more real. She was being sent back to Adam. She couldn't go back to him! He would… he would… she didn't know what he would do to her! But she didn't want to find out! She had to escape!

Using all her strength Blake attempted to pull, twist, flail, anything that would get her free from this suddenly very real nightmare. She wouldn't go back to him! She pulled on her chains until it felt like her wrists were going to snap and gave an involuntary whimper of pain.

"Hey take it easy, calm down!" Volk's voice stopped her frantic flailing.

She started to pant in exhaustion from her failed attempt at freedom. She couldn't go back… she wouldn't… she could accept death at the hands of a vengeful White Fang. But seeing Adam again after she left them… after she left him...

"Hey… don't worry. We still got Leesah! She probably already called your friends to come help us!"

Even if Volk's sister did call for help, what where the chances that her ex-teammates would show up? Especially when they learned she was captured by the White Fang? They would likely think it was her rejoining the group, or if not, they might just accept her capture and punishment by the terrorist group and consider it as a just and fitting end for a traitor. That's all she had been in the end wasn't it? A traitor was all she had amounted to in her short life. A traitor to her caring parents. A traitor to the White Fang and to Adam. A traitor to Weiss, Yang, and Ruby.

"… Ruby…" She mumbled in complete despondency and despair. She was going to be handed back to Adam on a silver platter for him to no doubt release all of his built-up rage and fury out on. After he got tired of her, she would then be executed by the White Fang for her betrayal and that would be the end of her. That would be how her story ended.

So, this was how her life was coming to an end… she had so many regrets. There was still so much she had wanted to achieve and experience. Her life had just started becoming worth living again; hope had returned… even if it had only been a small one. She had been creating a new possible life for herself to be proud of, even if it had been distant and far away… it had been there! Far off in an idyllic horizon and fuzzy future. A future as a Huntress. Sometimes in her fantasies, there had even been a bright future with her newly made friends of Beacon, and in her more sinful fantasies, a happy and contented future with Ruby… somehow… someway.

The possibilities were all gone now. Her unlikely future happiness was now forever lost because of a past that she knew would never release its cruel hold over her. She would never be freed of the scars of her past. Tainting her already jaded soul and destroying any light or happiness that she had or that others tried to make for her.

"Hey… while we're hanging here why don't you tell me about her? Ruby? One of your teammates, right?"

"SHUT UP! I don't want to talk!" She yelled back at him nearly sobbing.

"…"

The Bullhead now silenced felt dark and empty; the only sounds coming from outside as the White Fang finished up loading the other Bullheads with dust. They would be departing soon with the stolen dust and chained prisoners.

As Blake hung in the dark she realized that the biggest regret of her life wasn't running away from her loving home, or fighting for the Cause she had truly believed in, or even her betrayal to the one person who she had thought was the love of her life… Adam.

Her biggest regret was not following her own heart that yearned for a beautiful silvered eyed girl. If only she had told Ruby how much she had cared for her. How thankful she was for Ruby's warmth and unconditional friendship. Explained to her that Ruby had made her feel like she could become a better person, just by being around the younger girl.

"Ruby, was my closest friend. The best person I ever knew. Kind-hearted and goodness personified. A pure soul that I didn't deserve even as a friend. I should have told her I... I should have told her everything."

As Blake let silent tears fall from beneath the blindfold, accepting her sad fate and wasted life; Volk hung in silence unsure of how to respond. Until he remembered something his little sister had once told him with tears in her eyes after watching the ending to one of her stupid soap operas.

"No matter how many sad things happen or however bad things get! A hero always comes through in the end somehow and saves the day! Especially when stuff like friendship and love is involved!"

* * *

"So then I hid near the warehouse. After Volk came out, a bunch of banging came from inside and he tried to get back in. The door opened after a few minutes and a girl with a pink parasol knocked him out. A bunch of vans came and took him and Blake away. So, I followed them here and called you guys."

…

…

…

…

"Yeah, I'm sorry but who are you again little girl?" Yang scratched her head trying to process all the information this random Faunas child had just thrown at them. The three team members (plus Penny) had been searching for Blake all day and most of the night with no luck until Ruby had gotten a call right as they were about to consider heading home. Ruby's scroll had said the call was coming from Blake's scroll and it had nearly caused the young team leader to die from a violent heart attack.

The little girl in question puffed her cheeks out and waved her arms into the cold night air to convey her frustrations with the trainee Huntresses.

"I told you my name is Leesah! My brother and Blake were trying to find out what the White Fang is doing with all the stolen dust! They got capture!" She stomped her foot on the hard concrete, pointed at the Bullhead holding her big brother hostage and looked rapidly between the four older girls, praying that they believed her.

"Wait, wait, wait… Sorry, Leesah was it? How exactly did you follow the vans here after the warehouse?" Weiss crossed her arms and looked down at the small Faunus child with suspicion.

"I have a tracker stitched into my brother's coat. He gets in trouble sometimes, so I like to make sure he's not in jail or lost… Please don't tell him I have it planted on him." Leesah was getting increasingly frustrated with all the questions. The Bullheads could fly away at any moment!

"Please you have to hurry! It looks like they're almost finished gathering the dust from these docks! They'll leave soon!"

Ruby looked over at the Bullhead that Leesah had said Blake and Volk where being held captive in. The assembled group was overlooking the area from a building across the street. The docks were littered with the White Fang members packing up large containers with Weiss's family logo on them into their Bullheads. They didn't have all the answers to what was going on, but if what Leesah was saying was true then they didn't have time to figure everything out.

"Weiss keep the Bullhead with Blake and Leesah's brother from taking off and get them out of there. Yang beat up as many of them as you can. Leesah call the police. I'll deal with Roman." Ruby glared at the bowler hatted man walking around and shouting orders in the distance. She had a score to settle with him, especially if he was the one that had captured and hurt Blake. As much as she wanted to rush in and be the one to save Blake she had to employ everyone to the best of her abilities.

"What about me Ruby? I'm combat ready!" The newest edition to the group saluted and awaited her orders.

"Right… uhhh… you can help Weiss rescue Blake and Volk!" She wasn't sure how strong Penny was, so she didn't want to put her in the center of the fighting.

"Roger, friend Ruby!"

"Ughh… why do I always get stuck with the socially awkward and inept ones?" Weiss groaned.

"Team RWPY! Start Operation Save Blake and Leesah's Brother!" The team leader heroically declared into the night sky with a finger pointed at the overhead shinning stars and glowing white moon.

"As if to prove my point..." Weiss groaned again.

* * *

"Hey! You hear that?" Volk whisper.

Blake did hear the noise. Rapid gunfire and the rising screams of panic and battle; she didn't even need her extra ears to recognize the unique sounds of Crescent Rose and Ember Celica firing away.

"…they really came…" she couldn't help but let a small smile spread across her lips at the thought of her team actually coming to rescue her. However her smile was wiped away when the temperature in the Bullhead suddenly dropped and the sounds of cracking ice surrounded them.

"Oh no…"

"Huh? What's wrong?"

Before she could reply back, a horrible noise assaulted all four of her ears. It sounded like metal being forcibly ripped and twisted apart. A few seconds passed by after the terrible sounds stopped. She then heard footsteps and suddenly the blindfold was pulled off.

"Salutations! My name is Penny and I'm here to rescue you Blake!"

Revealing a girl... she had never seen before in her entire life.

She was about to ask who her strange rescuer was but was stopped at the sight of a familiar figure in elegant white entering the (what looked to be recently made) entrance to the Bullhead's interior, rapier in hand.

"Do you have any idea how long we have been searching for you?" Weiss huffed and gave her off centered pony-tail a sassy hair flip.

* * *

"Aaahh!" Ruby Rose yelled un-heroically as she was suddenly spun around and thrown into her older sister by the strange girl with the cool hair colors. She was crazy strong and almost unbelievably skilled; taking on both her and Roman was a battle Ruby wasn't winning, even with Yang's help now.

"Could this night get any worse?! First the stupid kitten and now little Red too! What's next a brat that can shoot lasers!?"

The wail of police sirens echoed in the distance.

"I just had to say something… at-least I can deal with that one. Come on Neo, lets get out of here!"

"Oh…No…You…DON'T!" Yang screamed, her hair exploding like the surface of the sun as she shot past Ruby and charged the criminal duo. Only to be thrown back by a blast from Roman's cane to her face and a violent kick from Neo to her stomach. Ruby dodged her sister's flying body and fired Crescent Rose. Her aim was spot on Torchwick's chest, but on impact Roman shattered… along with Neo and their surroundings.

It was like a mirror had fallen apart, and what had been behind the invisible veil now revealed the escaping Bullheads.

As the police vehicles pulled into the docks, Ruby looked up into the night sky, once again an unwilling witness to Roman Torchwich's notorious escape.

"Not again…" Twice now she had failed to capture him, but currently there were far more important things to worry about than him.

"Blake!" She disappeared in a rain of rose petals. Moving through the debris and littered bodies of the defeated White Fang members, searching for Weiss, Penny, and Blake.

"Ugh... Ruby wait up…" Yang groaned, picking herself up, and slowly jogging after her speedier sister. What a weekend this had been... maybe they could get tomorrow off from classes? Stopping a terrorist group surely equaled a day off from school right?

* * *

"And I don't know how I feel about you just yet. You didn't exactly make a good first impression on me!" Weiss said as she pointed her finger at Volk's chest. Weiss and Penny had gotten them both out of their chains, and the Bullhead; which was still encased in Weiss's summoned ice. Apparently, Penny had been the one to rip the Bullhead's locked hull open to free herself and Volk. The freckled faced girl either had an impressive Semblance or was disturbingly strong for her demure stature.

Blake groaned in pain, leaning on Penny as she helped lowered herself slowly onto the ground. Who knew strikes from an umbrella could do so much damage and hurt so much? Luckily Weiss had made her apology/interrogation short. A series of quick "I'm sorry's" had pasted between both the girls with surprising ease. Blake would have never assumed the whole thing would have been so easy or guessed that her own apologies to Weiss would have come so naturally. Blake realized for the first time how tired she was physically, mentally, and emotionally from everything that had happened. She just wanted all of this to end and sleep in her own bed... back home... at Beacon.

"Blake!" A familiar voice she had never thought she would get to hear again called out to her.

"Oof!" Was the only sound she was able to make in response as the small bundle of red and joy slammed into her aura-less and unprotected stomach and chest. Blake knew that the unintentional attack had been done at very nearly Ruby's full Semblance speed. Blake's own aura still hadn't recovered from the battle she had lost, and she feared the adorable impact she had suffered from Ruby had accidentally done serious damage… breathing hurt now.

"You dolt! Get off of her! What were you thinking slamming into her like that?! She clearly has been injured!"

"Waah! I'm sorry! Blake are you ok!?" The small girl pulled her head out from between Blake's breasts but refused to release her.

"…"

Blake saw the world slowly darken around her. breathing was difficult now and it was getting harder to hear the worried shouts from her (once again?) teammates.

"Oh no! Please don't die Blake! I'm sorry! Weiss do something!"

"C-Calm down! W-We'll call an ambulance!"

"I don't think your hug is helping Blake's breathing friend Ruby."

"Blake you can't die! Remember what you regretted not telling Ruby!? You can't die before you do that!"

Volk's voice? He was right… she had to tell Ruby…

"S-Shut up thief! No one is dying! Everyone stop panicking!" Weiss "calmly" stated while simultaneously dialing on her scroll and waving down the law enforcement that Leesah had called.

"R-Ruby…" Blake whispered with the last remaining breath in her lungs.

"Y-Yes Blake?" Ruby answered back with tears in her silver eyes, now lightly holding onto her "dying" friend.

"R-Ruby… I… I…Love…"

The world went completely dark and the last thing Blake Belladonna heard was Ruby Rose's and Weiss Schnee's twin gasps of shock.

"Hey guys what I'd miss?" Never mind, the last thing she heard was Yang Xiao Long's voice causally asking yet another stupid question. Blake felt her lips move into a contented smirk as she fell into an oblivious slumber. She was back with her lovably stupid team again...

* * *

 ** **Hello RWBY Fandom! It's nice to finally get another chapter out! Work has been... urgh lately and sadly it wont be getting better anytime soon. However I still have a great desire to continue this story and I will even if for the next year and a half I'll be a little slow on updates.****

 ** **I truly appreciate every favorite, follow and review for this story. After months of not posting a chapter I was still getting alerts from this story. It often inspired me to take what little time I had in my day to write a little.****

 ** **Thank you to everyone who has reviewed especially my multiple reviewers (ya'll know who you are.) New reviewers include a Guest (maybe), InfernoKing, Necrokis and steelbone532. Thank you, ya'll motivated me to get this chapter out.****


	9. Chapter 9

****Chapter Nine****

* * *

"Weiss... your scaring me." Ruby Rose cowered before the indignant might of her snow-haired friend and partner.

The two young students of Beacon Academy had just finished up the last of the day's classes. Despite the fact that one member of the team was injured and just now being released from the hospital this evening; they didn't get the day off from classes (much to the chagrin of a certain pouting blonde.) After classes ended Yang had left to pick up their injured teammate from the hospital, however Weiss had refused to allow Ruby to tag along as well. Apparently the young team leader had earned a severe scolding from the ice queen much to her confusion and fear.

"Good, you should be scared! This level of doltishness should be impossible... even for you!" Weiss had procured a training room that was allowed to students after classes for lite combat conditioning, melee weapon practice, and martial arts. It was something the team often did together after classes ended if everyone was feeling up for the extra training. However, Ruby knew she was in trouble when Weiss didn't go to their lockers first so they could grab Crescent Rose and Myrtenaster. The two shortest members of team RWBY were now currently standing weaponless on the plush mats of the training room together. Well Ruby was standing, frozen in fright while Weiss stormed all around her like an elegant swirl of furious graupel.

"Umm... thank you... Oww!" Ruby covered her now stinging head; Weiss had thumped her! Why was she so upset?! Things were looking up again! Blake had been found and was now (mostly) perfectly healthy. Once her aura had returned and with the care of the doctors and nurses, their formerly secret Faunus teammate had made an impressive recovery in a little under twenty four hours. She was even expected to be back in classes tomorrow. Things were happy again, right?

"I'm done pretending to ignore this imbecilic situation! The sappy doe-eyed stares you both give each other when you think the other one isn't looking! The annoying flirting that never goes anywhere! The pitiful depression that pervades the team when one of you thinks the other doesn't... ahem... return affections."

"Blake and I have never flirted!? Or... sent affections to each other?! I don't even know how to, or what that even means! Oww!" How in Remnant was Weiss able to hit her so hard!? Her hands were so dainty and tiny! It shouldn't be possible!

"Quiet you! And worst of all a confession! That for whatever idiotic reason, you refuse to process in that sugar idled brain of yours!" Weiss brought her shaking hands up as if she wished to strangle her red hooded leader with her own cloak.

"It wasn't a confession!? Especially not to me! She could have meant she loved anything!" Weiss was crazy! They hadn't been able to make out what Blake meant to say. Blake saying she loved her was practically the least likely possibility as far as she was concerned.

"Oh yes, of course how silly of me. I'm sure she meant I love... these smelly docks. I love this freezing windy night. I love these bruised ribs and collapsed lungs."

"Exactly! Oww! Stop hitting me!"

"She meant, I love you! You incomprehensibly dense dolt! Who or what else could she have meant to say that too while you were literally holding her in your arms!?"

"...umm... well... you were there to? Oww! Please stop! My head hurts..."

"I don't want to hear it! Yang has likely already picked her up from the hospital by now. We've both agreed to leave you two alone in the dorm room for few hours in order to solve this situation. We won't return until you both talk through this... relationship issue."

"What!? Relationship issue!?" Yang was in on this too!? Had everyone gone insane!?

"Clearly neither of you can be trusted to solve this situation by yourselves without some applied pressure and intervention... And I swear Ruby Rose, if I hear from Blake that you didn't give a proper confession for that sappy puppy dog crush you have on her. I'll tell her myself... and I'll do everything in my power to make sure you Never. Eat. Another. Cookie. Again... for the rest of your nonsensical existence."

Ruby gasped in horror. "T-this isn't fair! I-I already confessed to Blake! She turned me down! W-why should I have to go through that again Weiss!?"

"Are you sure it was properly done? I can see you doing or saying something that would easily cause a miscommunication. Did she tell you why she rejected your confession?"

"No... But it doesn't matter! Why wouldn't she reject me!? She pretty, and great, and cool! I'm... just me... and no one would want to date me!" Why was Weiss doing this!? It had hurt; but she had already accepted Blake as a friend and nothing more. Friendship with Blake was more than enough for her! She was contented with that being as far as their relationship went. What right did she have to ask Blake for more? Especially when the older girl didn't like her as more than a friend!?

"Ruby... don't say that." Weiss speaking softly now gently touched her shoulder, but Ruby wasn't having it. Weiss and Yang just didn't get it! They were going to drive Blake away again!

"No! Just leave me and Blake, alone Weiss!" Ruby yelled at her partner in true anger. Something she hadn't done since the first few days the two had been paired up together, when they were still working through each other's various issues with the other. She turned to march away, done with the conversation, but was stopped when Weiss grabbed her wrist tightly.

"I can't believe you were able to make me even more upset. Listen to me... don't ever... say such a thing about yourself, ever again."

Ruby attempted to pull her wrist from Weiss's grasp, but the heiress's hold only tightened. Almost causing Ruby's red aura to flare in defense against the crushing grip.

"Just give her one more chance Ruby. Anyone can see she has feelings for you. I don't like the idea of having to deal with teammates... dating... but I honestly think you two will be good for each other, especially now... so please, just trust me."

"..."

"Not to mention I actually believe there will be less drama this way, as sad as that is to admit."

* * *

"I can't believe you actually punched a girl while she was lying on a hospital bed." Blake stated dryly as she collapsed on her own much softer bed in the team dorm room. It was so good to be back after everything that had happened. Her ribs had already healed up nicely as well; although stretching certain ways still caused her to grimace in pain a little.

"Pfft! You were fine, I didn't even have Celica on! Besides I mean what I say, and I said I would punch you." Yang gave that annoying smirk Blake had become unwillingly very familiar with in the past few weeks. Why did she miss this busty blonde human chick again? She supposed her new appreciation for eye candy of the female variety gave her brutish partner some redeeming points.

"Whatever, where are Weiss and Ruby?" Blake rolled into her intoxicatingly cozy blanket, she never wanted to leave it again. She groaned in despair at the thought when she realized that she would have to leave it's warm coziness and change into something more suitable for bed. Her combat uniform was comfortable, but not quite yukata comfortable.

"They're talking about what happened last night and about other stuff too. And so are we..."

Blake felt her heart freeze at Yang's suddenly serious tone; that was never a good thing.

"I know you have a thing for Ruby."

Shit... it was ok, she could play this off. Yang had no proof. She could pretend she had no idea what the older sister to her secret crush was talking about.

"Don't try to pretend you don't either. It's been super obvious for weeks now. Not to mention Weiss said you pretty much confessed last night."

Shit... she couldn't play this off! Ugh! Stupid Volk giving her ideas when she was tired, delirious, and oxygen deprived! She hadn't known what she was saying! Stupid romance books were a bad influence too! She had just gotten... caught up in the moment, she hadn't meant to give a confession! Especially one as cliché as that!

"I-I..." She didn't know what to say. Yes she had a "thing" for Ruby, and in fact she was planning on maybe telling Ruby about her feelings, but not anytime soon! Perhaps in a few days... or weeks... or in a year or two. Besides it wasn't like they could date. She had far too many issues to involve Ruby in, and Yang would never let her.

"It's ok. This isn't easy for me, but I'm giving you permission to date Ruby. S-She's my baby sis, but I have to accept she's growing up." Blake couldn't even look at Yang as she was given "permission" to date her younger sister. Great, what had been a reasonable excuse against the idea now ruined. She felt terrible; this was obviously a very big deal to Yang. The normally fiery blonde's voice was more subdued and melancholic than Blake had ever heard it. But it still didn't change anything.

"T-Thank you Yang... But I can't date Ruby."

Yang looked up at her sharply, apparently taken completely by surprise. "What? Why not? Y-You know she has a huge crush on you right?"

Blake felt her ears attempt to lower inside of her bow, unable to fully, constricted as they were. It was good to have her "protection" back; but it had been a huge relief on her ears to be left unwrapped while she was away. They often got painfully sore while she was disguised at Beacon.

"I have too many... issues Yang. The White Fang... my past... the very fact I'm a Faunus. Ruby doesn't need to deal with any of my personnel problems."

"Is that why you rejected her? A week ago?" Yang's voice was eerily calm, but Blake was able to look up at her partner, now with confidence, as she finally released the haunting worries that she had kept locked away for so long out into the open.

"Yes. Ruby deserves better than an ex-terrorist. Especially a former White Fang member. Even if I didn't have to worry about the White Fang seeking vengeance in the future, I'm a Faunus. A relationship with me would instantly ostracize her from her own race. Ruby is far better off finding someone else. Another human without a heavy past, without an unknown future, and without so much baggage."

It felt like a huge weight had been lifted from her shoulders. The fears and worries that had stalked and hounded her mind for weeks; sharing them and saying them out loud felt better than she would have ever imagined. Surely as over-protective as Yang was of Ruby, she would understand that her little sister would be far better off not dating someone with as much bad history as her.

"I do care for Ruby. In fact, I've never even considered dating another girl before. She's sweet and adorable. It's very flattering that she has a crush on me, and if things were different I would-"

"You know I had crush on you too right?"

Blake froze, eyes widening in disbelief, as she was rendered completely speechless mid-sentence at Yang's near whisper. Unfortunately, having two sets of ears insured she had heard her partner with unmistakably cruel clarity.

"I-I know I come off as a "one girl or guy a night kinda person" but... I really felt something... special for you."

Blake could barely process what was being said to her. Where had this come from? She knew Yang found her attractive, but this seemed... more.

"But Ruby beat me! It's the first time my baby sis has ever beaten me at anything and gotten something I really wanted instead. Guess hearing you say you like Rubes, kinda hit me harder than I thought it would... sorry."

Yang looked up into the dorm rooms ceiling, looking as if a great weight had been lifted off her as well. Until her face morphed into anger.

"But you know what? I'm really struggling not to hit you again, for real this time."

"W-What?" Blake had never been so unsure of what to say to someone she considered a close friend before in her entire life.

"You honestly think Ruby cares about any of that? Or do you think that's all just too much for her to handle? Your past, being a Faunus, all that crap!?" Yang brought her head back down, glaring directly at her, and Blake felt herself shrink before the tear filled red eyes.

"My sister isn't some weak little girl! She's strong! Stronger than you or me! You know what!? She doesn't deserve someone that makes pathetic excuses like that! I defended you from Weiss after you ran! Against all the horrible things she said about you! Maybe I was wrong after all." Yang suddenly turned, hands clenched in shaking fists while raging out of the dorm room, and slamming the door behind her.

Blake was left trembling on her bed. Unsure of what to do or even think anymore.

* * *

Ruby took a deep breath as she stood outside the door of team RWBY's room. Weiss had insured that she was "dropped off" before leaving; saying she was going to be studying in the library for a few hours. Now Ruby was before the threshold, trying to figure out what to do or say. She didn't want to make things bad or awkward again with Blake, especially when she had just come back. But, a part of her wanted to believe in Weiss as well... but she was scared.

The young girl turned around, unable to find the courage to walk into her own room.

Ruby wandered the hallways for a few minutes, her mind falling into an emotional spiral of contradictions. So many feelings and thoughts; she was unable to settle on even one and attempt to process it. She suddenly bumped into something warm, soft, and smelling of chalk and elemental dust.

"Miss Rose, please watch where you are going. You could hurt yourself or someone else walking with your head down like that.'

Ruby swiftly move back a few steps. Taking her head out of Glyda Goodwitch's surprisingly cushiony chest. Ruby flushed in embarrassment, "I'm sorry Ma'am!"

Great now she had this to deal with this too! This was supposed to be a good day! Blake was back! But now she couldn't even bring herself to see her, and Weiss was mad at her, and Yang had probably told Blake about her stupid crush, and now she was about to get in trouble with a teacher! Why was everything going so incredibly wrong!?"

Ruby felt her eyes start to water, and she failed to hold in a pitiful sniffle. Now she was probably going to get detention too!

"Umm... Miss Rose, it's quite alright." Glyda said trying to consul her while looking more uncomfortable than Ruby had ever witnessed from the tall woman.

"I-I'm s-sorry! I've j-just had a really bad d-day." Ruby threw an arm across her face, hiding her building tears. She sniffled for a few more moments until she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Come Miss Rose, why don't we find a place to sit down?" The words were kind, but less a question and more of an order. Ruby could only nod her head in pitiful agreement.

Teacher and student made their way down Beacon's hallways, up a flight of stairs, and soon arrived at the corridor Ruby had always dubbed as the "teacher's floor." Few students ever were in this particular area of Beacon unless they were in trouble. Thankfully, Ruby's escort didn't lead her towards Glyda's office (a place Ruby was unfortunately very familiar with.) Instead the teacher took her inside a break room Ruby figured was for the faculty and maybe for sad students that they sometimes found wandering the hallways. With practiced movements that suggested this wasn't her first time dealing with this situation, Glynda motioned for Ruby to sit down on a comfortable couch and began making tea.

Once finished the stern enforcer of Beacon's good order and discipline, forced a warm cup of tea into her sad student's hands. Ruby took a sip of the liquid and only got sadder when she remember that Blake loved tea, and could probably tell her if the kind she was drinking right now was good or bad. Ruby never was really able to tell; despite honestly listening to Blake's lectures on aroma, freshness, subtle tasting, and the evils of fannings.

Ruby took another sip of her tea and wished there was sugar in it.

"Tell me Miss Rose, what has you so troubled? I can't say I've ever witness you less than... exuberant before." Glynda sat down with tea as well, on a couch opposite of Ruby's own and crossed her long legs.

"I-It's nothing." Ruby mumbled.

"Miss Rose, obviously it is something. In addition to being a teacher, I am a trained consular. Anything you tell me will remain between us. So please, I may not have the answers you seek, but talking through your problems always provides clarity."

Ruby nervously looked up at Miss Goodwitch and saw that the older woman was giving her an out of characteristically warm and inviting smile.

"Well... ok." Ruby never had a mother that she could remember; talking to women older than Yang often made her very nervous. She never had an older female figure in her life besides Yang, but her sister wasn't that much older than her so any awkward questions about "growing up" or "girl stuff" was answered by their cringing dad. She never had an older woman to go to for advice before.

"Ummm... it's just... I guess I have a crush on someone... but I shouldn't..." Ruby looked back down into her cup of tea. How did she end up talking to a teacher about something like this!?

"I see. They must be very special. It's quite normal to develop feelings for various individuals, even when we may believe they may not return our feelings for them." Glyda unperturbed by Ruby's admittance, gave what sounded like a text book answer to a question that she had already answered several times before.

"I just... don't know what to do. I don't want to ruin our friendship... but I'm starting to think pretending nothing is wrong is making things worst."

"Hmm. Honesty is often the best policy when it comes to relationship and communication issues Miss Rose. Have you sat down with this individual and talked out your concerns?"

"... no..." Ruby admitted, mumbling into her cooling tea.

Talk with Blake. Weiss and now Miss Goodwitch were both saying the same thing.

"Then perhaps there lies your path forward Miss Rose?"

* * *

Blake lay on her bed, now changed into her black and purple yukata sleepwear. However, she was lost in drifting thoughts.

Yang... she had no idea. What a terrible person she was. Poor Yang had liked her as more than a friend, and what had Blake done? Crush on and ogle her little sister. What a terrible friend and person she was.

Blake was tired and guilt ridden, but refused to sleep until everyone on the team had returned to the unusually empty room. It was strange how no one was back yet; it was getting late for a week night. Something obviously was happening. Perhaps Yang was raging around the school, and Weiss and Ruby were trying to calm her down? It wouldn't surprise her, but she would have expected to have at least heard explosions and/or the screams from the innocent bystanders or something.

Her covered ears swung towards the door as it was suddenly opened, and she swiftly sat up with a cringe as her ribs protested the rapid movement.

"Ruby!" Blake smiled with unfiltered happiness. Seeing the younger girl again after what had felt like weeks almost made her jump out of bed with joy. However, her small human friend seemed weary and hesitant while nervously walking into the room.

"Blake. Umm… hey... are you ok? Sorry for, you know... crashing into you... last night."

Blake frowned, this wasn't the reaction she had expected from her young leader.

"I'm fine. Don't worry about it. I probably deserved it anyway." Blake said light heartedly, hoping to ease whatever tension seemed to be radiating off the uncharacteristically demure girl. After a few moments Blake realized she had failed. A strange silence descended onto the room, and the two reunited friends searched for something to say to each other. Blake's yellow eyes darted around the room hoping to find something to help ease the tension. She spotted the pink cookie box she had bought for Ruby at the mall.

"Ahh... Yang told me you found the cookies. Sorry they were probably stale when you ate them. Umm also... is Yang ok?"

"Yeah! Oh no, they were really good! Thank you!" Ruby exclaimed with a sudden spike of energy, worried that Blake might think she didn't appreciate the gift. "Huh? Yeah, Yang is fine?"

The Faunus girl smiled softly, "I'm glad." There was the cute little rose petal that Blake knew. Plus, hopefully Yang wasn't as hurt and upset as Blake feared. "I'm sorry for everything. I shouldn't have just left." The runaway apologized, her smile fading.

"It's ok. I'm just glad your back Blake." The smallest warrior of Beacon stated with a voice of soft spoken, but sincere happiness, as she walked over to Blake's bed.

The Faunus girl smiled again, feeling the warmth of Ruby's words seep into her chest. She swung her legs over the edge of her bed, sitting fully up now, she scooted over and patted the spot next to her. Nervously (and adorably) Ruby sat down on the mattress next to Blake.

A comfortable silence was shared between the two girls as they both took in the returned presence of the other. Ruby's face morphed into what Blake had always thought of as her "determined face." Which mainly just consisted of the red caped warrior's "pouty" face combined with her "test taking face with questions she didn't have the answers to." Ruby suddenly turned and faced Blake with quivering eyes, however her voice was filled with an almost grim determination that was normally reserved for when the team was out in the field.

"Blake... I need to tell you something. I know that you know already... but I think I need to say my feelings clearly... sorry but... umm... I..."

Blake felt her heart rapidly beat faster and faster with dawning terror, knowing what Ruby was going to say next.

With a deep breath Ruby Rose practically shouted out into what had been for a few moments a peaceful and drama free dorm room. Destroying Blake's brief reprieve from heartache.

"Blake I really, really like you! Your pretty, and smart, and I like being around you! So... please go out with me!"

Ruby closed her eyes and hid her blushing face in her hands. As if she was trying to hide from a horrible nightmare.

Blake was silent for several moments, before placing her hands on the blanket covered mattress behind her and leaning back against them. She took a deep breath and remembered the dark depression she had felt during her captivity. She didn't want to experience that soul crushing regret ever again.

"I like you too Ruby. Your cute, sweet, and one of the best friends I've ever had. You inspire me in so many different ways. I'm so thankful I met you. I... would love to go out with you... but... I-I just can't." Emotion struck her voice unexpectedly, and she was surprised to feel her eyes starting to water.

Bringing her face out of hiding, Ruby stared at the teary eyed Faunus, with confused and bewildered eyes. Unsure of what to feel from Blake's suddenly emotional words.

"Y-You do?" Ruby mumbled in disbelief.

Blake nodded silently, trying to control her emotions.

Ruby smiled, truly happy, before she recalled Blake's last words.

"W-What do you mean? If you like me too... why... not?"

Blake, regaining control of her emotions, responded while forcing herself to look into Ruby's confused silvered eyes. "I-I'm not a good person Ruby. I'm ex-White Fang. I have so much bad history. You deserve someone so much better than me, and I don't deserve someone as... good and pure as you." Placing her hand over Ruby's own she tried to convey the depth of her feelings through the shared contact. "Please understand..."

Swiftly taking her hand out from underneath Blake's, Ruby suddenly stood up with righteous angry flowing through her silver eyes. "No! That's... that's just not true at all Blake! You went and tried to stop the White Fang! Your trying to overcome your past! I admire that, it's heroic and brave! What your saying... just isnt true! Your a great, amazing person! I'm the one that doesn't deserve you! So... don't ever say that stuff again! Or I'm gonna get mad at you!'

Frozen, Blake could only stare up at Ruby with wide eyes, before sighing and making one last effort to dissuade the younger girl. "I know it doesn't matter to you, but I am a Faunus. A lot of people don't like seeing humans and Faunus together. I don't want you to have to deal with that."

"Blake I'm a Huntress. I can handle a few mean words." There was no hesitation in the young human's voice and the Faunus girl gazed in amazement at how sure and simple Ruby seemed to make everything. Almost as if it truly was just "I like you, you like me. Guess were dating now." Was it really... just that simple?

Blake signed in defeat... it truly was just unavoidable fate wasn't it?

"Ok. You know what? Fine, I give up." Stretching her arms out over her head, hands brushing the bottom of Yang's bed; she pretended she wasn't freaking out on the inside.

Ruby titled her head cutely to the side, forgetting the main purpose of their conversation. "Give up?" she asked.

"Yeah. Not dating you. I lose. You win." Blake said as nonchalantly as she could while looking up and away from Ruby. She could feel the blush spreading across her face, and had to remind herself to breath normally.

"Oh... ok... ummm… so does this mean... we're... dating?" Ruby asked surprising calmly, although her eyes were opened wider than dinner plates.

"Y-Yeah, we're dating. Girlfriend titles, dates, making out, hand holding. The whole nine yards... if your cool with that?" Blake turned her head back to Ruby slightly and glanced at her from the corner of her eyes. Ruby was holding the edge of her red cape in her hands, twisting the red fabric between her hands in a nervous habit Blake had never seen from the small girl.

"Y-Yeah... that's cool." Ruby mumbled shyly.

"Cool." Blake responded. She was calm and cool like always. Not blushing... and her heart wasn't racing... and her palms weren't really sweaty right now.

Ruby shifted on her feet for a few moments before suddenly turning around and stumbling towards the door. "Well, Imma find Yang and Weiss now! So yeah! Good talk! Umm... you rest now! Ok? I'll be back with them! Yeah! Uh, bye!" Blake blinked and the small huntress was gone. A trail of rose petals left in her wake along with a swiftly closing door.

Taking her... girlfriend's... advice, Blake laid back down and wondered if any of that had actually just happened. Maybe she was dreaming?

Her Faunus ears suddenly picked up an excited squeal of delight from down the hallway corridors, along with a loud and joyful exclamation. "Yang! Weiss! You won't believe this! I have a girlfriend now!"

Blake Belladonna smirked in her bed and knew that when she woke up the next morning; it wouldn't be to the ending of a wonderful dream. It would be to the beginning of a wonderful new chapter in her reclaimed life.

* * *

 ** **Greetings! Had some unexpected free time and was able to get this chapter out. I think it may be the first one without a cliffhanger or sad ending lol. Thanks to WarriorOD3, FreeGrain, InfernoKing, steelbone532, Shadow390, DennyIsMenece, Nagaichi, Musicalmadness37, Scorch the 13th, Jakyboy, and ILikeHotDogs, for the reviews and support. Jakyboy your review made me laugh. Additional a thank you to senapon on DeviantArt, for giving me permission to use her art as this story's cover image. Hope yalls summers are going good.****


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten**

* * *

"H-hey Blake uh, do you wanna... go out sometime tomorrow? T-There's a fair this weekend! Weiss said it's part of the opening of the Vital Festival or something. They're gonna have one stand that's selling takoyaki! Y-You said you tried some one time and really liked it right? We could get some together tomorrow?"

Her... girlfriend... was in the library, sitting at a desk and typing on a computer; she was so pretty. Her long and full dark hair, her amber eyes filled with intelligence and mystery, her pouty lips with just a hint of lip gloss. Blake had always been pretty, but she seemed even prettier now. It also helped that it was ok to think Blake was pretty now that they were "together, together." Ruby considered telling Blake her thoughts on the older girl's "prettiness", but the very idea made her stomach feel like it would burst with butterflies. She wished she had more confidence when it came to stuff like this. But she was worried Blake would just think she was a silly kid if she got too mushy and awkwardly feely with her.

Ruby twiddled her thumbs in blushing embarrassment and nervous anticipation, she really hoped Blake wouldn't give her the same answer she had been for the past two weeks. Blake had been so busy with research lately. She wouldn't even leave Beacon on the weekends now, choosing instead to do, whatever it was that she was doing. The semester had ended and they were on spring break; so it wasn't like they needed to study for classes or anything.

"Sorry Ruby, maybe another time. I'm going to be busy tomorrow." Blake monotonously responded without even looking up from the library's computer screen, bright with news reports on sightings of White Fang members and supporters in Vale City. Occasionally she would look down at a grey note book and furiously scribble words. Ruby tried to peak at whatever Blake was writing down so intensely. She caught a scattering of words "Adam's team? South East? Unknown Schnee shipment? Dust network with Black market? Torchwick connection?" The cat Faunus finished her quick scribbles and leaned forward into the computer screen that now showed a map of Vale's public bus routes. Blake's ample chest unintentionally covering up the words within her grey notebook, blocking Ruby's peaking view. If the spoken words from Blake hadn't made her so sad she would have blushed at her accidental staring at the Faunus girl's chest.

"Oh... ok..." Ruby mumbled, saddened by the expected answer. She knew Blake was just busy with her research, but she couldn't help feel like it was partially her fault. They were supposed to be dating now, but they weren't really. If anything they had been closer as friends. Ruby didn't know how to be a "good girlfriend." She figured inviting Blake out on the weekends would be enough and they could just take the whole "girlfriends" thing from there, but she couldn't even get Blake to agree on a date. It wasn't like she was saying no. It was always just, "Maybe next weekend", or "After I finish this Ruby", or "I really can't right now, maybe later." She felt like she was just a pestering little kid now.

Not wanting to bother Blake more; she turned around and trudged sadly out of the library; head lowered in worry and disappointment. Blake had been different ever since she got back from the hospital after the Roman Torchwick incident. It hadn't been immediate. Blake's change had started with just more interest in news regarding the illusive criminal or the White Fang, then longer training times in the combat areas and gym, then late nights in the library researching the White Fang for... Ruby wasn't even sure for what purpose.

It was slowly consuming Blake. Ruby couldn't even recall the last time she had seen Blake eat a real meal or sleep for more than four hours. She had really hoped the Vital Fair would at least spark some interest in Blake. She wasn't sure what to do now. She would have gone to Yang asking if she knew how to help her partner or what to do, but the two older girls rarely talked to each other anymore. Despite both Ruby and even Weiss asking what was wrong, the black and yellow themed duo refused to talk about their sudden distance with each other. That was a whole different issue she needed to deal with as well.

This was a problem she would have to figure out on her own.

Maybe if she made Blake see how much fun she would be missing out on she would reconsider? Do what Weiss did and outline her plans and ideas? Yeah! She would call it "Ideas for the Best Date Ever!" Blake would be so charmed and impressed with Ruby's plans that she wouldn't be able to refuse going out with her! Then Blake would be in a better mood and Ruby could try to get her and Yang to make up with each other too! Blake would be happy! Yang would be happy! And Weiss would be... Weissier!

Her fire renewed, Ruby exited the library. Unaware of a pair of brown eyes tracking her now eager strides towards the dorm room. Long bunny ears lowered in sadness and concern. The voyeur moved her eyes to the bow haired girl still staring at the computer screen and writing down notes. The normally kind brown eyes narrowed with righteous angry and clear purpose.

* * *

She would find them. It was her duty. Her responsibility. Her redemption. Her new purpose.

Blake Belladonna continued her hunt on the inter-webs. She was making surprisingly good progress. Information on the White Fang was actually plentiful through news reports, Pro-Faunus and Anti-Faunus blogs. Which was strange. Why was the White Fang making almost no real efforts to hide themselves while operating in the city? How were they even moving about in the streets of Vale so easily? If she a Beacon student could find so much information on the terrorist group with her meager library resources, how were the actual authorities making so little progress? The terrorist group had literally just flown around in the city with armed Bullheads. Where was the response from the human police or military? The Bullheads had even gotten away somehow.

Professor Ozpin had been right... things just didn't add up. But unlike the headmaster of Beacon she already knew the answer. The police, government, and military had been infiltrated by supporters of the Fang or had been bribed into inaction. In her mind it was the only explanation for the amount of freedom the Fang had in their movements and activities in and around Vale. When she had been apart of the Fang, the group was constantly in hiding or running; rarely able to launch any sort of real offensive against the humans.

Something fundamentally had change since she had left. Some powerful backer; a politician, military official, maybe even a powerfully connected Huntsmen, someone had given the terrorist group a shield and cloak from the humans. Who and why however were questions she didn't even know where to begin speculating. Not to mention the idea of Adam even entertaining the idea of working with humans (even humans sympathetic and supportive towards the Faunus struggle) was laughable if you knew the man. It made her wonder if he was even still in charge of the Vale charter.

After her first week of research she had told Professor Ozpin her theory that the White Fang had powerful human backers in the political and military realms. The white haired Huntsman was doubtful to say the least. She understood partially why, it was ridiculous to think that such a small terrorist group with barely enough resources to keep itself fed could possibly have found so much influence in such a short amount of time. Even she didn't understand how the Fang had done it, or even why with this new found power they simply didn't change the discriminatory laws against the Faunus. Or even better, use that influence to give Menagerie a real voice, backed with actual power, so that the Faunus kingdom could actually be respected by the other human Kingdoms. Why were they still sneaking around in the shadows if they had such high levels of human economic, political, and/or military support?

"… We could get some... t-together t-tomorrow?" Blake was pulled from her thoughts. It was Ruby. She had been asking her often to go out lately. Blake was sure the younger girl was eager to go on a "real date" with her first girlfriend. But Blake needed to do as much as could before their Spring break ended; school work wouldn't allow for this level of investigation, and she had promised Ozpin her "additional student duties" wouldn't reflect poorly on her grades.

After the docks, he had questioned her about the incident, her knowledge regarding the Fang, and had even broken their unspoken rule about ignoring her Faunus heritage. The powerful Huntsman had asked her several questions for almost half an hour without her admitting her White Fang ties. She was nearly in the clear, ready to stand from her uncomfortable chair and leave the human in the dark. However, at the last second he had said something that had changed everything. "Miss Belladonna if I have noticed, I am sure you have as well, how much effort Miss Rose has been putting in defending the Faunus population at Beacon. I am shamed to admit that I did not realize how much... ignorant behavior was prevalent in the school until she brought it to my attention."

Blake was rendered speechless. She had no idea Ruby was bringing problems to the headmaster regarding the Faunus students.

"Her work is inspirational. I am reminded why I choose this profession in the first place through her shinning example. I myself sometimes lose motivations or hopes that the world will follow its correct path. I am often forced to make very difficult decisions, whose correct answers I do not know." The older human stood up, leaving Blake in her uncomfortable chair and moved to walk out of the small dim room. "But then I think; what would a heroic soul like Ruby Rose do in my situation? I then often find the correct answer to the correct path." The headmaster of Beacon opened the door to the room and stopped for a moment.

"I know you are close friends with Miss Rose, Blake. Have you asked yourself, what would Ruby do in your situation?" After the "advice" he continued out of the room until with a small voice she called out to him.

"...wait..."

Professor Ozpin had stopped a moment to take a drink from his ever present coffee mug before turning back around.

Now she was a secret agent for the human, and a complete and utter traitor. She had told him everything she knew about the White Fang. Locations, names, weapons, tactics, plans, semblances, aspirations and goals. She hadn't even realized how much she knew about the White Fang before giving up everything she knew about her former family.

There was no longer a middle ground for her anymore. She had chosen her side completely and fully now; it had been one thing to runaway... it was another to truly work towards the group's destruction now. She had sold apart of her soul with this decision; she was an honor-less traitor. However, far worst was the fact she was an honor-less traitor working for humans. It was an indefensible betrayal towards her race. Her purpose and only value as a person was now in this work for the human Headmaster of Beacon, for Ruby, and for the hopes that a path of peace for her people was the right choice. The Faunus race would just have to take the long slow trudge of progressive racial change through passive activism that may or may not ever see real affect... she didn't know if that was really a viable plan or just a cough out.

She was no better than her parents now. No... they hadn't betrayed their race like her... they had just given up the fight. While she might have given up as being a proud representative of her race; always and forever fighting for her fellow Faunus. She wouldn't give up on the two races, one day co-existing with each other in true and equal peace.

So that was why despite the guilt in her heart she said, "Sorry Ruby, maybe another time. I'm going to be busy tomorrow."

As the red-hooded girl mumbled her understanding, Blake told herself she would make it up to her after the break ended... take her to a... weapon convention giving out gun-shaped cookies or something. Do more dating things that the younger of the two was probably very eager for; kissing, handholding, some late night under the covers "shh don't wake up Yang or Weiss" action.

Ruby left and Blake continued her research. The news on the Fang was slowly getting harder and harder to find; blogs would soon be her only worthwhile source of information and those were always a hit or miss. She took a moment to wonder what the Headmaster was even doing with all of this intel. Was he just getting a better idea of the Fang's situation? Or did he have some strike force he was giving the intel to? Was that why it was getting harder to find? Was the Fang actually being targeted more accurately now because of her work and inherent knowledge of the group's tactics?

"Blake, I'd like to talk with you." An accented voice. A admittedly lovely accented voice, but one that she was in a strange rivalry with.

The secret Faunus girl felt an ear twitch underneath her bow, but continued her research without looking up from computer. "Do you need something? I'm a little busy right now." Velvet had never just come up to her like this before. It was a little strange, but she had far more important things to worry about right now than the rabbit Faunus.

"I'm worried about Ruby and how you're treating her. You clearly don't care about your r-relationship with her. I think you need to break-up with her if you're just going to continue treating her the way you are.'

For the first time in over two hours Blake stopped her typing and took her eyes away from the monitor. Looking up at the brown haired rabbit Faunus with her small hands clenched in fists. Blake stared directly into the glaring brown eyes with her own shocked yellow eyes.

"Excuse me?' Blake asked her fellow Faunus with honest confusion. Surely she had misheard the older girl's words. After all how did Velvet even know the two were dating? Ruby had been... vocal in her excitement when Blake had first agreed to date her, but since then had been rather shy regarding anything relating to their relationship.

"If you actually care for Ruby, break-up with her. You're only hurting her with your... attitude. She deserves better and there are other people who would happily treat her the way she deserves to be!" With her words spoken with quiet fury, the bunny eared girl turned around and stormed out from the library. Blake at first was left only with pure confusion.

Slowly the confusion morphed into a pool of magma and outrage as she processed the older girl's words. Staring at the now meaningless news story of White Fang graffiti on a music store, she picked up her pen and attempted to forget the incident and write down the relevant information in the news article.

Her pen snapped in half before she even finished the first sentence. Staining her hand with black ink that she knew wouldn't wash off for days. Furious; the traitor stood up, knocking over her chair, grabbed the grey note book and marched out of the library. Shoving past some poor blonde fool that had made the mistake of walking into her path, she exited the library. Her mind a hazy spiral of exhaustion, fury, and a burning rage she hadn't felt since her White Fang days; she barely heard the "Jaune! Are you ok?" from some red head as she marched furiously down the hallways.

Blake had always valued the fact that she was a level-headed individual. Very few things could rile her up and she was not used to pure and honest fury. Previously it had only been injustices against the Faunus that could inspire such uncontrollable emotions. Now apparently, a new topic could fill her with a fiery wrath that made her want to punch a certain **Stupid Rabbit Faunus** in her **Stupid** , nosy face that had **Nothing** to do with **Her** or **Ruby**! Where did the **Bitch** get off thinking **Her** relationship with **Ruby** was any of **Her** business!?

Blake stopped her warpath to nowhere, and tried to calm herself down.

Taking deep breaths, she cooled her fury to controllable levels and decided to call it an early day. She was tired... the anger had drained the last of her strength and there was no hope she would be able to focus on her research now. Continuing her walk, now at a much slower pace, Blake made her way to the dorm-room. As she neared, the anger inspired by Velvet was replaced with dawning guilt. Was Ruby so sad that other people were noticing? And had she just... not? Was she truly treating the adorable girl so badly?

Sighing with familiar regret as she reached the door to her home; Blake muttered to herself before reaching to open the wooden barrier to the team's home, "A shitty person as always... aren't you Belladonna?"

She felt the door's knop turn before she was able to herself, and stepped back before the door could hit her in the face. A wild mane of yellow hair and set of massive orbs hit her instead.

* * *

"You are so gonna get yelled at." Yang stated smugly from up on her bunk bed as she watched her little sister scribble in Weiss's planner down below.

The little red-caped leader had dug around in the resident princesses things and gotten the much prized planner for use in whatever crazy new thing her sister was planning... lol in the planner.

"What are you even doing Rubes?" Yang loved how her hyperactive little sister could just come up with crazy ideas out of the blue.

"I'm planning a date with Blake! If I show her I actually planned it and stuff she'll be super impressed!" Ruby called out happily while continuing her rapid scribbles and now stick figure drawings in the once professional, neat, and organized planner.

"Oh...that's... cool..." We'll if that wasn't a way to depress her she sure as hell had no idea what would. Yang had been doing a great job of ignoring the "blooming" relationship of her sister and partner. She wanted nothing to do with it, or even to think about it before she was able to let her own feelings die.

Jumping down from the bunk bed Yang decided some good gym time was needed while her little sis did... urgh! She didn't want to think about it!

"I'mma go punch a bag at the gym Ruby, finish up your thing before Weiss sees you." Yang walked over and open the dorm room door while calling over to Ruby. Her chest bounced into something equally bouncy.

"Oh... sorry Yang." Beautiful, dark hair, amber eyes, little bow, beautiful voice that made her heart stop. Yang's eyes widened at the sight of her partner and felt the now normal piercing blade through her heart at the sudden appearance of the stupidly attractive girl.

"Shit! I-I mean hey! Sorry! Yeah... bye!" The blonde shouted stupidly before she was able to slide by her "former" crush (urgh she even smelled nice) and speed walk down the hallway. There was no way in hell she was dealing with that anytime soon! Damn they had done a boob bump… that was hot. She was hot. Yang couldn't do a damn thing about it either. Urgh she needed to just get over Blake and... talk... like a mature and responsible adult.

Yang looked behind her shoulder as Blake closed the team's door. Her purple eyes instinctively went straight for the perfectly round, toned, and bouncy ass of her partner. Trapped in those tight white shorts that were begging for someone to do something to them.

Nope, Nope, and hell Nope... Punching shit, partying, and drinking would be her medicines for at least another month. She really needed to find a rebound... someone nice. Pretty not sexy. The opposite of Blake... yeah that would help get her over this whole thing. Some nice rebound sex and she would be good as new!

Yang took a moment to wonder if this was what all the people she had dumped went through with her...

"Fuck, I'm a bitch!" the boxer of the team exclaimed in sudden realization.

* * *

"Lets see, takoyaki. Then a walk in the flower gardens. Then the book store that's nearby. Then the shuriken throwing contest?" Ruby drew and wrote her date plans as Yang said something and left the room.

Ruby Rose hmm'ed in thought and contemplation. Blake was a ninja right? All ninjas liked throwing shuriken right? Or was that more of a job than a hobby? Would that be considered like working to Blake?

"Ruby... what are you doing with Weiss's planner?"

"Bwaahmmgadd!?" The scythe wielder exclaimed suddenly as she turned around to see Blake's chest just an inch or two from her face.

Blake for her part jumped back a few inches in surprised at Ruby's yell and smiled hesitantly down at her young leader after a few moments.

"Sorry, what was that?" Ruby blushed at the dark haired girl's teasing voice.

"I-I was planning a... date... together with you." Ruby mumbled, suddenly realizing how silly and embarrassing her idea was to say out loud. Not to mention Blake hadn't approached her first with conversation in almost two weeks; Blake's sudden presence had complete thrown her off guard!

"... I see..." Blake whispered back softly with a voice that Ruby was sure ment she was about to reject the whole thing before even considering it. Fear gripped her heart; Blake was talking to her again! She couldn't just let this chance pass by her!

"W-wait! It will be really fun! I have everything planned! See!" The reaper member of team RWBY desperately grapped the planner of the princess member of the team, to show the ninja member of the team. She shoved the planner into Blake's hands and stood from Weiss's desk, unable to just continue sitting and waiting.

Expressionless, Blake looked at the planner with Ruby's "plans" and drawings for a "date"... it was mostly indecipherable... Something about various foods, a merry go round, book stores, flowers, and... was that a stick figure throwing shuriken?

In silent agony Ruby waited for Blake's reply. She felt her heart constrict when a pained expression grew across Blake's face. Ruby was just able to make out angry muttering from Blake as she looked at her work; something about a stupid rabbit?

Closing the planner after half a minute of trying to decipher Ruby's "date plan," Blake set it back down on "Weiss's office desk" (also taken by the youngest girl for use) and suddenly forced an awkward smile at Ruby.

"I've been a really shitty girlfriend haven't I? I'm sorry. I would love to go on a date with you tomorrow Ruby." Blake smiled again after she finished her apology and acceptance. Her real, true, beautiful smile this time. The one that Ruby hadn't seen in over a week.

Torn between jumping up and down with joy and shouting that Blake wasn't a bad girlfriend, Ruby settled for squealing in excitement. A soft touch on her face made her stop and freeze. Blake was cupping her cheek with one hand... and was really close now.

"Ruby, I'm sorry I've been so busy lately. Can I... make it up to you?" Blake's voice was different than normal. Low in tone, but heated. Almost like a dull warm roar was just on the edge of her throat. It made Ruby feel small but safe. She nodded her head slowly at Blake's question, unsure of what the older girl was really asking and why her voice had taken a tone that made her heart beat so fast.

The taller girl started leaning closer and closer into Ruby's space. The hand on her face gently urged her to tilt upwards as Blake's face came closer to her own. Her amber eyes barely opened as if in a slight trance. It hit Ruby suddenly what Blake was about to do. What exactly was happening, and what was about to happen. She was about to be kissed. Blake was about to kiss her!

Panic suddenly hit; making her eyes widen and lips part as Ruby suddenly realized with horror she wasn't ready. She didn't know how to kiss! She had to tell Blake to stop or she was sure she was going to ruin their first kiss! What if she sneezed!? Or moved her lips wrong!? Didn't you sometimes do something with your tongue!? When had she brushed her teeth!?

She had no idea what she was doing! She hadn't prepared! This was happening really slowly, yet somehow really fas-

Blake's lips suddenly took her own before they could release her protests and fears.

Ruby froze; fearing she would mess up this moment. She decided to just concentrate on the feeling of Blake's lips against her own. It was nice, soft and comforting in way she couldn't quite describe. Her lips felt like they were tingling as Blake's own moved slightly as the more experienced girl increased pressure. Ruby had never been so physically close to another person before. Literally connected; sharing a single feeling and intimate moment with someone she cared about.

It ended suddenly. Blake taking her lips and presence away as she ended the wonderful moment and took a few steps back.

"Sorry. I meant for that to only be a little peck. Lost control a little, sorry. Was it too soon for... that?" Blake seemed nervous and unsure. Her voice almost fearful at her own actions and what Ruby's response would be; placing Ruby in a strange role reversal and position of power she wasn't used to. Ruby took a moment to linger on the memory of Blake's soft lips on her own. They still tingled.

"It's ok. I liked it." Touching her lips after her soft spoken words she felt a new wave of affection flood her heart for Blake. Such a beautiful and wonderful person had just given her, her first kiss.

"Blake, thank you." Ruby smiled at the now strangely shy and meek looking older girl. She was so happy Blake seemed ok now. She knew Blake was just trying to help figure out what was going on with Roman and the White Fang, and how important that was, but everyone needed a break sometimes!

As the two blushing Huntresses looked at each other with new appreciation for the other; Ruby decided she wouldn't allow Blake to be sad ever again. She would make this increasing important person in her life as happy as she made her. She wouldn't let anyone or anything get in the way of Blake's happiness...

* * *

 **Hello everyone! Hope all ya'lls summers went well. I'm super happy I was able to get this fic to the 40,000 words range. For myself personally I don't even read most fanfics if its not atleast 40,000 words long. So I can now say I would read my own fanfic lol.**

 **Its been a really big shock to me to see all the reviews, favs, and follows for this story, especially considering its low word count. And just so ya'll know I do have a long term plan on how this story is going to go *coughmayhavebeenhintedatinthischaptercough* I would love to get this fic to 100,000 words and into volume 3 of RWBY. I would be content with the story then and proud to put a finished tag on it then, even if the story could continue. But we'll see if when I reach that point if I want to go beyond volume 3.**

 **I would like to thank InfernoKing, Scorch the 13th, Shadow390, fixeddiagram13, ILikeHotDogs, Awayuki, Nagaichi, MementoMori115, DoctorHayden, a Guest, trexnerd, FrozenWave, McDouggal and Biblio388 for their reviews!**

 **Awayuki; looks like I gave you a little of your wish in this chapter.**

 **MementoMori115; can't say I will have a harem with Ruby or Blake. The story is ultimately just about them. At most we might see Yang hopping around a little lol. I actually have thought about doing a heat cycle thing with Blake. I have read a few other fics that have done that before and usually it actually works well to advance a plot or is just funny. I'll give it more thought and consideration now and if I get more people to say they would like to see that with Blake I'll put it in.**

 **Thank you again to everyone who has read, reviewed, fav'ed, and or followed this story. It means a great deal to me that people think this story is worth taking the time to read. Also as I was discussing with MementoMori115 please let me know what your thoughts are with Blake having a "heat cycle episode." I can say it would advance the relationship with Ruby and Blake faster than I was planning; which from the reviews I think for most of you would be more of a positive than a negative.**

 **Anyways, till the next time!**


	11. Chapter 11

****Chapter Eleven****

* * *

It was unpleasantly crowded; crammed with pushing bodies and smelly sweat soaked men. A festering dark hive of what were likely degenerates, judging by the large percentage of Faunus and thug-like dressed humans. It was the last place one would expect to find the Heiress to a reputable business like the Schnee Dust Company at; however here she was, having been forcibly dragged along. She gave a futile tug at her captured arm, sadly the vice like grip of the blonde bimbo was still too great.

"Come on Weiss don't fall behind! We're gonna miss the match!" The taller woman exclaimed as she pushed through the crowds while pulling her captured "friend" through the filthy masses. Weiss hadn't even know such events took place within Vale City; in the middle of it's downtown no less! How the proper authorities didn't know about such large events taking place in the city's abandoned subways was incredible to her. Especially considering right now the proper Vital Fair was taking place above their heads in the afternoon sun; while these uncivilized "matches" were happening down below in the smelly, filthy, sunless underpasses.

"One match! We will see one match and return to the proper fair afterwards!" It was her fault for agreeing to this madness. Her kindness and sympathy had gotten the better of her. The stupid blonde was just so moronically sad after Ruby and Blake's announced date to the fair. It had been an unbearable sight for Weiss; it just wasn't normal for the outgoing girl to lie torpidly in her bed, so she had forced Yang to get dressed and escort her to the fair. Their roles were suddenly reversed when Yang had spotted a poster on their way to the fair.

"Yeah, yeah promise. Look! There's the ring! I learned a lot of my moves from places like these yeah know!" The annoying pulling seemed thankfully done as Yang dropped her hand in favor of air-boxing the air in front of her. Before them was a surprisingly well maintained boxing arena; it was also clearly well used if the small splattering of blood spots on the white mats were a clue. Two Faunus males, one with canine ears and the other with a lizard's tail, were on opposite corners waiting while the "officials" of the match gathered bets that were being placed on them both. Weiss felt her eyes roll at the sight. Of course it would be Faunus that were instigating this entire barbaric show.

The match soon started and quickly two obviously un-trained "fighters" were slugging it out. Regardless of the lack of skill, the crowd surrounding the two students of Beacon went crazy over the flying ungloved fists. "Pfft... They're not even trained!" Weiss crossed her arms and glared at Yang as if it were her fault. What could possibly be learned from this pathetic excuse of a match? The only time she had ever witnessed poorer form and technique was from Ruby without her scythe. The girl was comically bad at even simple hand-to-hand fighting. It was an incredible deficiency; especially considering the much harder to learn and master recherché techniques involved with scythe manipulation. Compared to movements that literally required thousands of repeated attempts for even a dozen successful ones with a scythe; how hard was it to throw a straight jab!?

"Yeah... you get guys that don't know what their doing usually. Still fun to watch though!" The infamous crackling sound of a snapped aura struck the air as if to emphasize the blonde's words. Weiss was surprised when the fight wasn't called and continued on. "Are they still going to continue? His aura broke!?" It was illegal for any refereed event that she was aware of to continue after an aura break. Their own matches in school didn't even allow for them to continue a match after their aura dipped below 10 percent, and they had trained medical professionals literally seconds away.

"This is a real match princess! They fight till one gives, or when ones knocked out!" After her quick explanation, Yang joined in the excited yelling with the crowd as the losing canine Faunus was steadily pummeled into submission. Weiss found herself wincing with every un-aura protected blow the Faunus took. She wasn't used to such raw inelegant fighting; the man was starting to bruise and bleed. Luckily the Faunus quickly went down after taking a haymaker to his temple and slamming into the padded mats; further staining it with blood from a flowing gash on his forehead. As expected the crowd (and Yang) went wild. The body of the losing fighter was dragged away by other Faunus, and the victor did his victory laps around the boxing arena.

Weiss's eyes tracked the body of the unconscious Faunus as it was dragged away to another section of the underground tunnels. She wondered if Yang had noticed that the fur of the canine Faunus's ears had been the same dark shade as Blake's.

Looking around she saw the other fighters awaiting their own turns for victory or hospitalization. They were all Faunus.

"Can we stay for one more match Weiss!? Wasn't that kickass!?" Weiss ignored the adrenaline-fueled girl beside her to glare at the men that were collecting and giving out the bets for the match. All of them human.

"No. Shut up. I'm getting out of this cesspool of uncultured violence. Stay if you want." Weiss angrily turned and began pushing her way through the mob of viewers still watching... whatever this "event" was! It certainly wasn't a match or sport!

"Wow ok. W-wait up! Sorry we can leave!" Yang joined her in pushing through the crowd, and Weiss wondered why even though she was leaving the area, she was only growing increasingly angry.

* * *

"Blake... this is embarrassing." Ruby mumbled cutely, but still let her continuing feeding her ice cream with the pink mini-spoon. Blake always wondered why they made the spoons so small; perhaps they were actually designed for this? They certainly made less of a mess than a normal sized spoon would. More importantly it fit well with the picturesque scene Blake had created. A blushing girlfriend sitting at a small table with her in an adorable white sundress patterned with elegant red lines, being spoon fed strawberry ice-cream.

"Hmmm... what should we do next?" Blake ignored her date's minor complaints as she fed her the last of the icy treat. So far the two had been enjoying the atmosphere of the fair more than anything. Blake had been impressed by the wide array of different cultures that seemed to be jampacked within a few city blocks. It seemed everyone was welcomed and free to enjoy everything. She hadn't even spotted a single "No Faunus" sign on any of the store fronts or hastily constructed stands.

"A-anything you wanna do Blake." Ruby mumbled while nervously shifting in her seat. While the answer was adorable in its own way; Blake doubted a proper romantic date involved going around to every stall that had fish or fish related foods. Her funds were limited as well, and everything at the fair was ridiculously over-priced. As much as it hurt her soul; gorging on fish was not the priority today.

"I think I saw a stand promoting some new weapon mods. Lets go check that out." Blake stood and stretched her arms above her head to give them and her back a good stretch. The chair hadn't been the most comfortable, and leaning on the table to feed Ruby had cramped up her arms a little. After she was done with her quick stretch she noticed Ruby was still sitting down; looking at her with wide eyes and a flushed face.

Blake smirked, proud that her outfit choice was being well received. Tight black jeans and a simple purple crop-top that showed off a good amount of her lean stomach, and was maybe slightly too small for her chest. A simple, fairly cheap outfit that she had been saving for a date with the younger girl. "Don't let your eyes pop out Ruby." Blake teased, as she reached up to make sure her standard black bow was still safely in place. She briefly wondered if maybe she should have decided on her "special" purple bow instead of the black. Oh well, she would save wearing that for something else.

"M-my eyes aren't popping!" Ruby stood with a worsening blush and pouting face at her teasing. Ignoring the denial, Blake took Ruby's hand and began leading her to where she thought she remembered the weapon mod stand was.

"Oh? They weren't? Guess I need to step up my game huh?" Blake searched through the crowds for the stand, trying to retrace her early path. Her searching gaze caught sight of Atlas robots patrolling ahead. Seemed security wasn't a joke around here. Those were the new models constructed for the Atlassian military; primarily made to stop the increasing White Fang raids. From what Blake had read of them, and her experiences with the previous models they were simply upgraded cannon fodder. No match for even student level kids at cheap, less-reputable Hunter Academies. For Beacon level students they were little better than practice dummies.

"Please don't... I don't think I could handle anything more... Blake? Why are we on the speeding up?" Blake slowed her pace at Ruby's question. She hadn't realized, but instinct had made her drift to the street's edge and try to get out of sight of the Atlassian robots as quickly as possible. Old habits from a life still hiding in her shadow it seemed.

"Sorry. Just thought I saw a sushi shop." Blake lied, and the two continued passed the self-moving military hardware un-harassed. Blake couldn't help but be thankful she was wearing her bow. She wondered if that was a foolish thought or not. So far she hadn't seen any Faunus harassed at the fair; still it was better to be safe, rather than sorry.

The two girls soon reached the weapon stand and Blake allowed Ruby to gush over the new weapon parts. Blake was sure it would keep Ruby occupied for at least ten minutes if not longer. They still had plenty of time before the sun even showed hints of fading from the sky. What should they do next? Blake turned from Ruby and looked around the fair grounds. Most stands were food or Vital Tournament related, a couple stands were selling random tourist bait, and... ha, a stand dedicated to selling Weiss's albums.

Blake pulled out her scroll to snap a pic of "Weiss's stand." It would be great material to tease the popstar ideal heiress with later. After the picture was taken Ruby excitedly ran back over to her, much earlier than expected. "Blake, Blake! I got you something for Gamble Shroud!" The taller girl turned around in surprised and looked down at the item Ruby was enthusiastic shoving into her face.

Blake wasn't sure what it was in all honesty. It looked like a small cartage loader that duel functioned as a handle for a sword. A fairly standard piece for a weapon and the same kind that she currently had on Gamble Shroud.

"It's an automated multi-elemental magazine and pommel dust striker! This will be perfect for Gamble Shroud! I could integrate the internal control wiring and dust canals from this to the blade! It won't be as strong or precise as Myrtenaster, but it will definitely put Gamble Shroud in the same mutli-action dust class weapon category! When we get back can I start working on it Blake!? It will only take eight hours and no functionality will be lost! The magazine may be a little heavier than your standard ones, but nothing that should affect your attacks or aim! Can I hook it up!? Please!?"

Blake blinked, trying to process the flood of technical words. She gently took the weapon mod from Ruby's hands and inspected the black rectangular weapon mod. For such an apparent amazing upgrade, it looked unimpressive. However, the sticker with the printed price begged to disagree.

"1200 Lien!?" Blake shouted in horror at the ungodly price. "Ruby are you insane! Take this back right now! How did you even afford this!?" Blake shoved the wallet destroying device back into Ruby's small hands.

"I can't take it back Blake. Weapon stands like this don't do refunds." Ruby cheerly informed her, nearly causing Blake to pass-out right then and there on the crowded streets. 1200 Lien... gone just like that. Blake had never even held that much money in her hands at one time in her entire life. It was enough to live comfortably with just about anywhere for a month. Enough to buy an entirely new (if simple) weapon. More money than she currently even owned.

"I-I need to sit down." Blake mumbled and began stumbling away from the devilish weapon stand that had likely caused Ruby to spend her entire life-savings on a fancy dust-loader. For her...

After a few minutes of searching, and with Ruby quietly trailing behind her, Blake found a tea shop. She ordered the cheapest tea she could find on the menu, sat down on one of the small two person tables outside, and began sipping her warming and calming beverage. Ruby sat quietly, still clutching the cursed "upgrade", and looked as if she had just been told that it was in fact impossible to make a scythe that could both shoot bullets and make freshly baked cookies.

"Ruby. You can't spend that much money on... well... me. I don't want anything that costs that much." Blake said as calmingly as she could. What if Ruby had just spent everything she had on her? What if the girl couldn't even afford her basic necessities now?

"But, I wanted to..." Ruby mumbled back.

"Ruby this isn't about what you want. I know its not my business, but how much money do you even have left? To live off of?"

"Ummm… 5 Lien?"

Blake nearly threw back up her tea at the small words. She placed her elbows on the table and leaned her forehead into her hands, trying to block out the world and the storming headache that was forming in her temples. She forgot that Ruby likely had never known what it was like to go without. To go hungry, or being unable to buy basic necessities. The girl was "normal" compared to her. She had no idea of the real value of money.

"But my Dad will send me my allowance next week Blake! I'll be fine! Please don't be mad at me... I just wanted..." The red-tipped haired girl gave a nearly silent sniffle, and Blake could her the sadness in her voice. Blake sighed, and scooted her chair over to the other side of the table.

"I'm not mad. Don't be sad, ok? I just know what its like to go without money. I don't want you to go through that, especially because of me. Ok?" Blake wrapped the smaller girl in a hug and tried not to be self-conscious of the fact the two were being stared at by the scene they were creating.

"Mhmm. Ok." Blake felt Ruby lean into the hug. Instinct screamed at her to stop the public display, but she couldn't bring herself to forcibly pull herself away from the smaller girl wrapped up in her arms.

"Promise me you won't spend that much on anything without talking to someone about it first. Especially if its something for me. You can't rely on your dad for money like that. What if he wasn't able to send money, or there was an emergency? You can't exactly do much with five Lien." Blake knew she was sounding like she was lecturing the younger girl. Considering her own past, it was laughably hypocritical to lecture Ruby on anything resembling responsibility.

"Sorry... I promise." Ruby mumbled, seemingly more ashamed in her own actions than annoyed with her. Blake was thankful, and decided to try and change the topic to something a little more suited for a date and not a lecture from an older sister. She was sure Yang and Weiss could cover those lectures for her in spades.

"You know, I don't know anything about your family. Expect for your boob-monster of a sister. What's your dad like?" Trying to break the somber mood, Blake was proud of the topic choice she had been trying to breach for a while now. The two sisters were a bit of a mystery with the differing last names, and Blake had only ever heard mention of a father from them before.

"Umm... well my dad is a Hunter and a teacher at Signal. He's basically a less cool version of Yang..."

* * *

"What! No way Weiss! That's totally messed up!" Yang couldn't believe what the ice-princess was trying to get her to believe. She had to stop herself from yelling in the small fancy little coffee shop at the craziness of the idea. Luckily, the little café didn't have too many people in it, probably because of the prices (20 Lien for a mocha! Pfft!)

"Think about it Yang. I know its hard to believe something as, deplorable as that is happening in Vale. However, Faunas pit fighting used to be very common, and that was certainly what was happening. Only Faunus were fighting, and only humans were taking the money." How in frozen hell could the little white haired princess say all this so calmly while sipping her coffee? It was insane to Yang! Some assholes were getting money off of forcing Faunus to fight? That was still a thing!? Why weren't people doing shit about it!?

"If this is really going on why are we sitting here drinking hot bean juice? Lets go put a stop to it!" Yang yelled, no longer even attempting to keep her voice down in the café as she stood up ready to charge right back into the subways.

"Yang, we fight Grimm. Not people. I've already sent a message to the proper authorities, they'll handle it. However, you need to be more aware of these things and not wander into illegal Faunus pit fighting matches! What if Blake had seen us there?"

Yang flinched. She felt bad for not realizing the match wasn't just that. A normal non-slave pit fighting brawl. Crap like this was probable why Blake was so hung up about being a Faunus in the first place.

"I-Its not like I knew... how does shit like that even happen?"

Why would anyone even let themselves be forced to do that crap? We're they even being paid? How the hell did anyone end up as a forced pit-fighter? It not like real forced Faunus slavery was still a thing... right?

"The Faunus fighters are likely being paid very little, but still enough to keep them fighting. The whole thing is likely the result of some human and Faunus gang setting up the matches and profiting from them. I'm sure the whole thing will be shut down now that I've sent a message to the authorities though." Weiss leaned back into her chair and gave a small self-satisfied smile.

Yang still didn't feel good about just letting the "authorities" handle it. She knew that less-crazy crimes were being handled and shut down by the cops all the time. How did something as big as an illegal forced fighting pit just fly under the radar like this? Especially during a big event like a Vital Tournament Fair? Wasn't security super tight right now? With the White Fang and Torchwich running around she had thought the cops were searching anywhere and everywhere for any hint of trouble.

"Should we tell Blake about this? She might know more?" Yang rubbed her arm self-consciously as she asked Weiss. How would Blake react to something like this? What if she got mad that her and Weiss were even there in the first place?

"I don't see any reason to involve Blake in this. It's already been handled Yang." Weiss took a final sip from her coffee before standing from the table and motioning for Yang to follow her out of the café and into the rest of the Fair.

"I'm not so sure..." Yang mumbled, sensing all of this was going to bite her in the ass in the near future. She wasn't exactly have good luck with anything Faunus related lately. Especially, the mysterious sexy feline kind of Faunus.

* * *

"I'm... kinda a runaway. I haven't seen my parents in years now. I could call them, but I just can't... not yet." Blake whispered, but Ruby still heard her as the pair walked in the glowing warmth of the setting sun, making their way back to Beacon after a wonderful day. Ruby was happy Blake wasn't mad at her anymore with the money she spent. She understood Blake's worry and appreciated her more for it. It showed Blake cared about her. Now the two were just talking about their families as their date was nearing its end.

Ruby hadn't realized it, but they had never shared their family and childhood stories until now. It felt good. Really good in fact to know that Blake knew stuff about her that only Yang had ever know before. Like how she didn't have a mom, or that her role model had been uncle Qrow growing up (even though she knew he wasn't exactly the best role model to have), or that she had always struggled with making friends. Blake knew that stuff about her now, but was still here. Still her girlfriend. But best was the fact that she was learning stuff about Blake that maybe no one else knew about her; expect for her now.

"I want to call them one day and say I'm a Huntress. Say I'm doing good and making up for the White Fang, making up for running away. For saying such awful things to them before I left." Ruby squeezed Blake's hand. The taller girl was such a good person. She had been through way more than her, and still was trying to help people. Ruby couldn't imagine a better person to be with than Blake.

"I hope I can meet them one day. They sound really nice, and I'm sure they miss you Blake." Ruby smiled up at the beautiful dark-haired girl; enchanted by the moment of their newfound shared closeness, and with Blake's almost ethereal visage in the sunset.

"I hope they do." Blake whispered even more quietly; her voice was full of doubt, breaking Ruby's heart just a little. Before she was able to saying something to comfort Blake, the secret Faunus let out a sudden and surprising giggle.

"So, are you trying to get in good with the parents already Ruby? Bold."

Ruby blushed at the accusation, "W-well that's not a bad thing right? I want you to meet my Dad..."

It was Blake's turn to blush now and Ruby good see the rabid movements of Blake's Faunus ears moving underneath her bow.

"You... you would really be willing to introduce me to your Dad?" Blake stopped their walk back to Beacon to ask the question and stared uncharacteristically shyly at the ground. Ruby was confused at the question and sudden shyness from Blake. She decided to just answer truthfully.

"Of course Blake! My Dad would love to meet you! Plus, your my girlfriend and important to me... and I want my family to... you know... know that to, I guess."

Ruby suddenly felt herself be taken into Blake's arms. "Ruby... your the sweetest thing." Blake softly whispered into her ear, causing her heart to jump into over drive. Blake was warm, gentle and soft. Ruby wrapped her own arms around Blake's waist and leaned more into the hug. Ruby looked up at Blake softly smiling down at her and couldn't bring her gaze away from the older girl's lips.

"Blake, can we kiss?"

Ruby closed her eyes as Blake granted her wish. It was a different kind of kiss compared to their other ones. This one lasted longer, and Blake was moving her month and even tongue a lot more. Ruby did her best to keep up, and wondered if this was what "making out" was. She hoped she was doing a good job, but even if she wasn't, she was comforted in the fact that if she wasn't, she was sure Blake would be willing to teach her how to do better.

* * *

 **Hello all. Work has my soul currently so that's why the posting has been non-existent. But I'm glad I was able to get atleast one chapter out for 2019 lol. Thanks for the reviews from: Shadow390, Edward Verdant, TheShadow977, a Guest, SecretNostalgia106, ILikeHotDogs, hyrushoten, a second Guest, InfernoKing, a third Guest!, Fennec9, fixeddiagram13, Taichi-Doragon Tentei, Jakyboy, SkySong99, Kraljdred, Haloman6494, and Karharot.**

 **Thank you all for your words and advice. I consider them all and many of these reviews have seriously helped my writing skills. So again thank you. I hope to get out another chapter or two in the coming months. However, I'm afraid I cant promise much. Luckily after 2019 and moving into 2020 I plan on writing a lot more.**

 **Anyway I hope ya'll are doing good and staying happy. Till next time!**


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter Twelve**

* * *

"I'm starting to reach a dead end in what I can find." Blake solemnly reported.

The annoying low pitched ticking and thumping of the headmaster's clockwork office throbbed painfully inside of her hidden ears. As she watched the human Headmaster leaf through her reports on the White Fang's suspected activities, she cursed her bow for not allowing her to flatten her ears against her skull. It would have helped with the pain.

The headmaster didn't seem disappointed in her lack of finding anything of real use this time; but she was. The Fang's activities in Vale had suddenly ceased. No robberies, no recruiting, and no sightings in over two weeks. The easiest (and most optimistic) explanation was that the arrival of the Atlassian air fleet had scared the group into hiding, or maybe even forced them to flee the city altogether. It was a theory that the headmaster seemed to running with; despite her own reservations on the hopeful, if not entirely naïve idea.

"I see. As reluctant as I am to admit it, perhaps Ironwood's forces are having some positive effects." Blake raised an eyebrow at Ozbin's words. Were the floating warships, dotting the skies around the city, not a completely welcomed eyesore by the old Huntsman? She had believed that they were flying over Vale because the man had brokered somekind of deal with the human general. She had even seen the general of Atlas walking out of the headmaster's office on several occasions when she went to give her daily reports. Perhaps the two humans weren't as in agreement of the Altas military's protection of Vale and the Vital Festive as much as she had assumed.

"Thank you Miss Belladonna. Please enjoy the rest of your afternoon."

Giving a quick nod, Blake respected the polite dismissal and began to leave the headmaster's office. This would be the last scheduled report she would give to the human until next month or until she found something truly worthy of his attention. For now she was to focus on her normal studies and keep a watchful eye out for any resurgence of the White Fang. It was also a chance to further hone her abilities as a fighter and Huntress; it was because of her lack of skills that she had gotten easily captured by the "umbrella girl" after all. It wasn't an experience she was willing to go through again without a hell of a fight first.

"Miss Belladonna, I nearly forgot. Please do enjoy the dance this weekend. I can assure you; one can only be young once, and it is not something to be wasted. Enjoyment of life is a responsibility that all have, but this is especially true of the young. So please, be sure to enjoy it."

Blake stopped and turned to look back at the man in surprise. "I... will?"

The old human was in many ways the strangest person she had ever met. Blake had been beginning to grow used to the man's sudden and seemingly random topic changes. However, it was still jarring to be in one moment discussing the destruction of a terrorist organization, and in the next, discussing if the school cafeteria food was satisfactory (it needed more fish had been her suggestion for that one.)

Blake continued out of the office after receiving a smile and nod from the old human. In truth, she had completely forgotten about the coming dance. That was probably a bad thing considering she was dating Ruby now. Perhaps she should make a show of asking Ruby out? Do something memorable? She had the time to plan; the others were all out currently. Blake smiled at the thought; her team was actually out trying to help her with the White Fang investigation.

It had taken some bravery on her own part asking for help, however she was glad that she had. Even if they didn't find anything, the fact that they were even trying meant more to her than she had thought it would. She had high hopes for Weiss's and Ruby's search for info in the Schnee dust company's records at the CCT. Yang had said she "had an old friend" and while Blake doubted anyone Yang could possibly know would have any insight into the White Fang, surely asking wouldn't hurt anyone.

* * *

"Tell me what I want to know and you won't get hurt!" Yang's threating yell echoed down the dark subways. Quiet moans of pain followed her raised voice from the dozen of beaten thugs she had taken down. Luckily, the one she was currently "questioning" wasn't lying broken on the cracked concrete and was still conscious.

"Ahh! I think my ribs are broken!"

"Well, if you don't want to get hurt more then talk!"

Yang shook the human gangster that she was 90% sure was working for Torchwick. 10% percent was that she had attacked a gang that had nothing to do with the criminal mastermind, but those were odds she was willing to take. Plus, the thugs probable deserved the beat down either way.

"I know your one of his goons, and I've seen you at the fighting pit taking money! Where are you sending it!"

Somethings just worked out well in life. Yang had gone to her "old friend" at the club; which had largely been useless. However, he had mentioned that a lot of money was being thrown around in the "boxing matches" in the city. Word was it was all going to Torchwick who was somewhere outside Vale, and a lot of Faunus fighters that were winning those matches were disappearing suddenly as well. Yang probably would have completely dismissed the "boxing match" had she and Weiss not wandered into the underground fight two weeks ago. She knew that whole mess was going come back to bite her in the ass and she had been right. Luckily, it seemed she was doing the biting... and punching... and breaking.

"I-I can't tell you! They'll kill me!"

Yang activated Ember Cecilia and shot a round through the goon's foot.

He screamed, and Yang "asked" her question again.

"Ahhhh! I don't know! Somewhere in the South East!"

"Where!"

"P-Please! They don't tell me exactly where! I just know it's somewhere South East. A little outside of Vale! Oh dust, it hurts!"

Somewhat satisfied, Yang dropped the man. It was a start, but that could still be a lot of different places. Still, Yang already had an idea of how to find out exactly where Torchwick (and by association the White Fang) was.

"What about the Faunus fighters that are disappearing? They going there too?"

"Y-Yeah... please just... stop."

Yang mercy punched the begging man into oblivion. She was such a good person.

Now all she needed was one smart little Faunus girl and a "winner" from one of the matches. Whoever said blondes were dumb?

* * *

"I'm so dumb." Jaune Arc muttered sadly to a "captured" Blake.

She had just finished prepping her plan for asking Ruby to the dance. Unfortunately, she had the misfortune of running into a dejected blonde swordsman on her way back to the dorms. Apparently, he had decided that she was the perfect person to listen to his miserable new outlook on life, and all of existence in general. After his 8th rejection from a certain ice queen, it seemed Jaune was finally realizing, that the chances of Weiss agreeing to being his date to the dance was... well... nonexistent.

"Of course she wouldn't give me the time of day. She's so beautiful and amazing. While I'm just an awkward idiot."

Blake sighed. This had gone on for nearly half an hour now. It was almost worst that they were outside overlooking a balcony that Blake was pretty sure she could fling herself off of and ninja her way to team RWBY room's window. While she did consider the blonde a friend, she certainly wasn't enjoying being a dumbing place for all his rejection and heartache caused by Weiss. Plus, she had a good book waiting for her back in the team room, and she just wanted to lie in her bed and read it while waiting for Ruby to come back. Not listen to teenage boy drama.

"Look, if I talk with her about giving you another shot... can I leave?"

"You would do that for me Blake? Thank you! You're a great friend!"

"Yeah. I know." Blake fulfilled her fantasy and flung herself off the balcony and soon, mercifully, she was back in the empty dorm room. She flopped herself on her bed and began to wonder how in Remnant she was going to convince Weiss to give "barf boy" even an iota of time that wasn't completely rejection filled. This was definitely going to be way more trouble than it was worth.

Oh well. A problem for another day. She had her own date to get today after all.

* * *

"Hey Leesah! How you doing? Keeping your bro out of trouble?"

Large fox ears reoriented themselves to Yang's location on the street just outside of Leesah's school gates. Her eyes widened at the sight of the blonde Beacon Academy student waving her arms excitedly into the air. The small fox Faunus smiled and quickly ran over to the closest thing she had to a role model. She liked Yang; not that the other academy students that had helped save her brother from the White Fang and Roman Torchwick had been anything less than amazing! But she liked how expressive, confident, and strong Yang was. She hoped that one day, when she was older, she could be like the human huntress.

"Yang! What are you doing here?" Leesah questioned. Blake and Ruby had visited her and Volk a few times in the past few weeks, but Yang was rarer. Those times she had always come with Ruby to; never alone like now.

"You still making those tracking things you stitch into your bro's clothes? I need one."

"Oh! Yeah, I have some back home. But, I'm only on lunch right now. Can it wait till after school?"

"Yeah, no sweat! I gotcha find the target anyway. See ya in a few little fox."

Yang gave a thumbs up and turned back towards the street after watching the small orange haired Faunus go back into her school building. The large school always impressed Yang when she saw it. It reeked of a private school made for rich kids; yet somehow Leesah's older brother was able to scrap up enough money to keep the smart little girl in. It was a feat Yang truly admired. Family was second to none in her book.

As the blonde boxer made her way back towards the subways she began to wonder what her plan should be to get one of the pit fighter's jackets or something for the tracker to be stitched into. Should she steal one? What if when they went to wherever they were being sent to they didn't take the jacket? What if the winner of the fight didn't even have a jacket? Maybe this wasn't as good of a plan as she thought...

"Hello Miss! We're having a clearance sell today! 50% off everything in the store! Can I help you find something for yourself? Or maybe a gift for a boyfriend?" Yang gave a quick glance towards the feminine voice and stopped in her tracks. It was a clothing store, that included expensive looking leather jackets... damn she was smart.

"Actually, I am looking for something for my boyfriend." Yang sang happily with a dangerous smirk spread across her lips.

* * *

"We have returned." Weiss smartly stated as she entered the team's room with Ruby in tow.

Spotting Blake in her bed, Weiss gave a smug smile, sat at her desk, and began plugging her scroll into the room's computer.

"We have the records. I'll just need a few minutes to look over the dust shipments for the past few months. Your welcome by the way."

Blake rolled her eyes at the heiress's sassiness, but still gave her thanks.

"I'm sure we would all be lost without you Weiss." Blake stood from her bed and swiftly took Ruby's hand before the youngest member of the team even got halfway towards her bed, or had a chance to speak.

"I need to show you something. Weiss we'll be back in a bit." Quickly whisking her prey away, Blake and a confused Ruby, were out the door.

"B-Blake? Where are we going?" Ruby question as she stumbled behind a pulling Blake. It was rare for the quietest member of the team to be so excited or pushy about anything.

"You'll see." Was the only response given as the pair exited Beacon's halls and entered into the last of the remaining warm rays from a falling orange tinted sun.

Ruby soon realized they were heading towards the garden Blake liked to read in. It was also the place where Blake had took her after the "shower incident." Ruby giggled at the memory. It seemed so long ago now. So much had happened, and she was so much happier. It was all thanks to Blake. Ruby could barely imagine what life would even be like right now if Blake wasn't in it.

A thought struck her as she was pulled through the surrounding trees and into a small field of flowers. Was she in love with Blake? Ruby knew she "liked, liked" Blake, but love was different right? More serious, more adult... more important. People in stories fell in love all the time, but Yang, and even her dad, had always said that people confused love for liking someone in real life all the time.

Did she love Blake? Or only "like, like" Blake? For some reason, right now, it seemed important to know. But, how did someone even figure stuff as complicated as that out?

"We're here." Blake said softly and turned, taking both of Ruby's hands into her own.

Ruby looked around curiously. Nothing was really different about the secret grove. Blanketed with small, softly colored flowers, and protectively hugged by the surrounding trees. Ruby hadn't been here during a setting sun though; the flowers seemed to glow magically and warmly.

Looking back at Blake she blushed. It was a scene from a love story wasn't it? It was romantic, and a little embarrassing too...

"Ruby, will you go to the dance with me?"

If she was blushing before, it was nothing compared to now. Ruby hadn't even really thought about the dance. At least not in terms that she would be going with a real date and not a sympathetic friend or chaperoning big sister.

"O-of course Blake." Ruby's words came out shyly. She felt special, and it was feeling she still wasn't used to.

She saw Blake smile in the teasing way that reminded her that Blake was older, more confident, and more experienced than her. The dark haired girl let go of her hands, and produced a bow. A small red one.

"Consider it a present for agreeing to be my date." The girl with black bow said as she placed the red bow on Ruby's shorter head.

Blake let out a rare giggle at seeing the leader of team RWBY with her new hair piece. "You're adorable."

Ruby smiled and brought a hand to her racing heart, and another to the little red bow.

* * *

"Thanks for the jacket babe. Normally I don't go for human girls, but I'll make an exception for you." The rat Faunus's tail stroked her thigh and Yang had to fight the urge to not punch the "champion fighter" in his creepy little face.

"Thanks! Ya know, I really hope you keep it. It would really mean a lot to me." She leaned in close, making sure he got a good view of her cleavage. He practically drooled, and Yang knew her work was done. She gave the Faunus a wink, and made her way out of the subways with an exaggerated sway to her hips.

The mission was accomplished! She would have to pay back Leesah sometime; the little fox girl's tracking device was gonna help her beat up a crap ton of bad guys after all! Blake and Weiss were probably back at home thinking that she hadn't found a single clue! Wait till she got back! Not only with great info, but even with a plan that was already set in motion. All with the help of an unknowing idiot that was going to walk right into the bad guys base and shown them exactly where it was!

As the blonde buster strutted down the now darkened streets of Vale, she wondered what Blake would think of all this. Would she be impressed with Yang's efforts? That would be awesome! Wait... why did she even care what Blake would think? She was doing this to stop Torchwick, the White Fang, and to beat up bad guys! Right? What Blake thought shouldn't matter. Not like her being impressed would then make her impressed with Yang, and then they could rebuild their friendship. That would then lead to things being back to normal between them, which would lead to... what?

"Urgh! Get over her me!" Yang yelled into empty streets. She wasn't really doing all of this i. some vain hope of getting with Blake was she!?

Blake and Ruby were dating! Both were (annoyingly) very happy with each other! What the hell was wrong with her!? Ruby's happiness meant more to her than anything else on Remnant. So why was this all so hard? Was she just... a bad person?

Yang continued through the streets, took an airbus, and made her way back on Beacon school grounds. Her thoughts increasingly darkening throughout the journey back, until she bumped into someone.

"Oof. Sorry! I wasn't paying attention. Oh hey, your one of the transfer students right? From Haven?"

"Yes, I am. A pleasure. Yang Xiao Long, correct?" Cinder Fall asked with a naturally sensual voice, complemented with an enchanting smile that left Yang feeling like the rat Faunus she had just seduced.

Yang smiled back widely. Her dark mood forgotten as she stared back into the dark haired woman's amber eyes that seemed to barely contain a hungry fire.

* * *

 **Hello everyone! Was able to get a chapter out! I am just as shocked (if not more so) than you!**

 **Thanks to: ILikeHotDogs, , SomeRandomFicWriter, Taichi-Doragon Tentei, Nagaichi, fixeddiagram13, and Gorsouul.**

 **Taichi-Doragon Tentei thanks for spotting the spelling mistake. When I find some time I'll try to go back and fix them.**

 **I might take a break from the RWBY genre for a little bit to work on a few new ideas for fanfics I've wanted to do. But I still want this story to continue so don't worry if yeah see me posting stuff for some other fandoms.**

 **As always thank you.**


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

* * *

"Stop squirming!" Weiss ordered. Biting down furiously on her bottom lip as she felt a vein start to bulge painfully above her left eyebrow.

"Bleh! It tastes gross though!" A whining ruby-red dressed dolt of a girl whined. If Weiss hadn't already finished applying the blush, eyeshadow, and titling the red-bow to the perfect off-balanced angle; she would have slapped her insufferable team-leader right then and there.

"You asked me to do this! You said you wanted to be pretty tonight! Didn't you!?' Her voice was only just lower in volume and octave from a hysterical scream. However, she did not care right now; tightening her grip on the soft checks as she forcible applied the last of a soft pink lipstick.

Ruby Rose could only softly whine in pain as the last of the "beauty torture" was finished. Weiss was positive the experience had been far worse for her than her partner. Thankfully, Oum was merciful and Weiss's project was now done. Releasing the cheeks of her captive, she stepped back and admired her work.

The makeup was as perfect as it was ever going to be. Ruby was not classically beautiful, or womanly, or seductive. Her charms were in her natural shy cuteness and warm enthusiast honesty that happily glow like an aura around her. Make-up (in less skilled hands) would only make her look like a foolish little girl trying on her mother's makeup. However, Weiss found that lighter shades with warm reds and teasing pinks brought out the best in her younger team-leader. She had even been able to highlight some of the gentle cheek bones that were normally hidden in the small huntress's childish facial features.

It made Ruby look a year or two older; an achievement Weiss Schnee was very proud of. If only she had been able to make her older mentally to…

"That took hours Weiss!" Ruby complained, instead of thanking her for the miracle she had just performed.

"It was only two hours, and you better not do anything to ruin your makeup either! Now put on your heels!"

"Uurgh! The lady-stilts hurt…" Another complaint, but Weiss Schnee was a immovable glacier of pure discipline and dignified patience. She did not scream, or glare, or imagine using a glyph to fling her partner out of the dorm-room's window. Instead she inspected Ruby's dress and made sure there were no wrinkles or cookie crumbs on it.

The dress was standard for the most part. A normal scarlet-red prom dress that would have been considered completely boring and plain if not for the bold color and see-though mesh that went across the collar bone. It may have been a seductive dress if the thin mesh had been at the bust; however, Yang had been the one to pick out the dress and Weiss doubted the older sister would have allowed for anything more revealing than this.

Yang's gifted dress was mercifully cookie free, Weiss's make-up was near perfect, and Blake's bow was artfully slanted. The red and white pair were as ready for the dance as they were ever going to be. Weiss had made the wise decision to apply her own makeup first and slip into her elegant white dress before dealing with the mess that was the dolt of Beacon.

"You better have been practicing how to walk in those! Come on; our dates are waiting."

The pair exited the dorm-room and joined the steady flow of students making their way to the school's ballroom. Weiss admired her fellow peers and atmosphere of the warm night. Everyone was elegantly dressed; gentlemen escorted their dates with charming smiles and ladies hung on to their leading arms. The school itself was artfully arranged with vases, flowers, and colorful streamers. It was like being in a (very) cheap function in Atlas; except she would be able to enjoy this one.

No harassing paparazzi. No judging family. No scheming "friends."

Just a pleasant evening and function with her… real friends.

It was a pleasant thought.

She had real friends now.

"Weiss! There they are!" Ruby grabbed her hand and dragged her towards their dates.

Normally she would have chastised the childish and rude action. However; she simply rolled her blue eyes and let herself be dragged through the colorful dresses and dark suits. She couldn't blame Ruby for her excitement; truthfully, Weiss herself was excited as well.

The sun had just fallen, with only a hint of the its light remaining in a darkened sky. Blake and Jaune stood awaiting outside the heavily trafficked student dorms. A blonde and ebony pair in the low light.

Blake was even more elegant, regal, and darkly enchanting than normal. Weiss knew the scrappy black dress the midnight haired girl wore was a loan from the school. Likely years old, worn by dozens beforehand, and frayed in several places. Despite that; Blake made the dress look like it was from an Atlas runway show.

Weiss felt a stab of ugly jealousy; the stunning girl could have been a model for any high-end Atlas company if she hadn't been born a Faunus. She had everything a woman could possibly want physically. A lithe yet softly curved form, beautiful features that only belonged in a make-up catalog, and full dark hair that looked styled and cared for yet was effortlessly wild and natural.

"Right on time. Weiss didn't torture you too much did she Ruby? You look stunning."

"N-no… thank you Blake. You look even more beautiful than normal…" Weiss rolled her eyes again at Ruby's shyness and Blake's charm. The two could be nauseating together sometimes. A night like this would bring the sappiness out in overflowing tidal waves.

Weiss's judging eyes then inspected the male of the group.

Jaune was Jaune… in a cheap suit.

She was not impressed.

The Heiress forced a smile and remember her talk with Blake. It was better than going alone, and better than going with some creep that only wanted her family status or company in bed.

"H-hey Weiss! W-wow your… your… Really! R-Really pretty tonight!" Jaune screeched.

He was… awkward. Lanky and clumsy. His face was just above plain, and his butt was a little too flat for her tastes. Still; Blake had made a convincing argument that he was sincere in his crush on her. A good boy, trying his hardest to become a great man. Better, however, was the almost cruel truth that he was just plain normal in almost every way. Weiss wanted a little normal; at least a taste of it. Beacon was her only chance for that experience before she was forced to returned to Atlas to be an Heiress again.

She would let him escort her to the dance. Maybe give him a chance to prove himself even. There would be no harm, and Blake had promise to watch every season of "Atlassian Sunsets" with her if she gave Jaune a chance. Weiss had been trying to get someone to watch that with her for months now! It was an amazingly complex and intricate soup opera that was not nearly as popular as it deserved to be!

"I know. I am very pretty. You… clean up well. Shall we head to the ballroom?" Weiss didn't bother waiting for a reply and began her elegant stroll down the lighted paths of Beacon's campus.

"Ballroom? You mean the gymnasium?" Jaune question.

"It's a ballroom! Don't ruin this for me!" Weiss turned and glared.

"O-of course! Sorry!"

* * *

Cinder Fall pressed into the dancing body. Pushing and grinding with the thumping beat. She was careful not to be seen by any of the school staff watching for "inappropriate" behavior. She kept the rhythm of the music and let their bodies consume each other's forms.

"Mmmm." She moaned softly and not entirely with falseness.

"You like? Mysterious foreign exchange student?" Her dancing partner, date, and prey twisted out of her reach. The wild blonde locks leaving a blazing trail across her face. She smelled like citrus and gunpowder. Her white dress was chaste, covering everything, but still tight around her large and perfectly rounded breasts.

"Yes. I do like." Cinder's voice was low and hungry. She reminded herself that she was the seductress, hunter, and the one in control. Not Xiao Long.

"After we're done dancing, wanna hit a real club?" The cheerfully dancing and breast bouncing girl asked. Cinder had at first thought the rather plain white dress the blonde huntress wore reflected the girl's unexpected chasteness. The groping touches, flirty talks, and lack of a bra quickly dispelled those assumptions.

"Sure. In a little while."

The time to leave was not now. Emerald needed more opportunity to infect Beacon's systems for the tournaments and she still needed more intel on what the little blonde heroine was doing snooping around Roman's fight pits. If the little trainee huntress was getting close to discovering their plans… then it would only be right for her to help… wouldn't it?

The woman with hair as dark and sinful as a grim night couldn't contain a mocking smirk from breaking across her face.

"Is your team coming? Your all quite famous you know." Cinder questioned as the music began to die into a lower paced romance song.

"Yeah they should be showing up soon. I didn't know we were "famous". Can't say I can blame anyone for it thinking that though! We are pretty awesome! Wanna get some punch?"

"Sure. I am… thirsty."

"Oh, I bet!"

Away from the dance floor and love music; Cinder probed as the two drank the school provided (and yet un-spiked) red fruit juice.

"Please tell, how you're all so… awesome. My team could use the tips. Especially Mercury."

Yang smirked, "Well it all starts with your badass boxer here just going around kicking bad guy ass. Then it goes to a deadly baby sister of mine than runs around with a scythe twice her size. An ice queen that can stab a Ursa to death in high-heels, and a freaking ninja-girl that even has it in good with our Headmaster!"

Cinder swirled her red fruit juice in the white paper cup. "Hmm… I would love to hear about your adventures. Oh, and one of your teammates knows your headmaster? Professor Ozbin, right? How exactly did that come about?"

"Taken down Roman Torchwick's and the White Fang's goons. Blake's super smart so she leads like an investigation. Even the Headmaster listens to what she has to say! Although yours truly isn't just beautiful! I got smarts too! I'm about to find out where all the badies are hiding out at!"

Sometimes Cinder was amazed at the stupidity of "civilizations' defenders." Foolish bimbos like this one were all that were standing in her way. Unaware, trusting, and ignorant. They had no idea of the supremacy and darkness that was standing in the heart of their governance. Believing themselves safe. In control and in power.

She would take both and make them hers.

Feed the remains of the useless and the weak to the darkness of the Grimm hoards.

And stride of over the blazing ashes of fallen dust and broken glass. Ruling over the new, truer Remnant.

Cinder gave an "innocent" giggle. "Really? Now this is a story I have got to hear."

* * *

Blake adjusted the purple bow atop her head. A sudden spike of nervousness had pierced her chest and she wasn't sure why.

The gymnasium (or "ballroom" as Weiss wanted to imagine it) was packed. People, balloons, cheap tables and plastic chairs; all crammed and jostling for room and space on the polished wooden floor. The music was loud, and the lights were low. A classic, if cliché, love song was playing and suddenly Weiss and Jaune had disappeared.

"L-let's dance, Blake."

Blake smiled down at the soft voice at her side. Ruby was beautiful, and despite the crowded, sweaty and loud "ballroom" she found herself in; Blake was happier than she could remember herself being in a very long time.

Blake didn't say anything besides her silent teasing smile. She took a hand from Ruby and lead her to the dancing. The soft and slow love song playing reserving the space for true couples. Her pounding heart and nervous tension eased as she focused on the smaller girl in her arms.

Black and red danced slowly and closely. Blake's hands on Ruby's small waist and Ruby's on her shoulders. Neither really knew how to dance; copying the other, wiser, couples as best they could.

As they twirled, Blake's eyes were caught on the red-bow Ruby wore. The gift she had given Ruby for agreeing to be her date for this dance. The fact that Ruby actually wore it oddly meant a lot to Blake. So did this cliché school dance. So did the beautiful silver eyed girl in her arms.

All of… this…

She never believed she could have such normal happiness after the Fang. She never thought she could have such a nice normal night like this. She certainly didn't deserve it. This was the kind of night that was reserved for proper people and non-terrorists. The kind of night a person could look back on years from now and say, _"This was the night I fell in love with her."_

"Thank you for being here with me Blake. It means a lot to me."

Blake's eyes widened and she felt her ears twitch beneath her purple bow at her own thoughts and Ruby's words. She stared down into silver pools and stopped her movements. Suddenly she was kissing Ruby fiercely. It was like her first kiss with Adam. Full of love, passion, and future hopes. Of course, she had been on the receiving end for that kiss. Taking in, instead of releasing.

The kiss ended too soon for Blake when Ruby pulled back for air. Gasping and blushing. Blake pulled her even closer and continued their dance.

"Ruby, don't ever leave me." Blake felt the words leave her lips. Possessive and controlling. She instantly regretted them. They weren't words that came from her. They were words that came from Adam.

"I wont Blake. I promise." Ruby Rose said pure and true. Her silver eyes reflecting trust, sincerity, and love.

The two continued to dance for a few more minutes; Blake utterly contented with life itself for the first time.

"Blake, unless you want to do something else. I'm ready to go back to the room…"

A little surprise; Blake didn't object. They had only been at the dance for maybe half an hour.

"Sure. It is a little to crowded for either of our tastes. But you don't want to find the others? We haven't even seen Yang yet?"

"No."

Blake raised an eyebrow. Ruby wasn't a social butterfly, but it was still uncharacteristic for her not to seek out Yang or hangout with Weiss or team JNPR. Blake had been planning on staying at the dance for hours as Ruby socialize with them.

"Ok…" Blake said, unsure if something was wrong.

The two made their way towards the gym's exit. On the way, Blake nodded respectfully to a chaperoning Professor Ozpin and Goodwitch. She stopped when she spotted Weiss and team JNPR. Weiss had an exasperated look on her face, Jaune a confused one, and Pyrra a blushing one; while Nora and Ren simply looked amused.

"Ruby look. There they are."

"Oh." Was the red dressed girl's only response as she continued walking out of the gym.

Blake was stunned. Ruby was not the type to just ignore friends. Something was wrong.

Outside the air was cool compared to the stifling gym, but still warm for a Vale night.

Catching up to Ruby, Blake walk by her side, wanting to take her date's hand for the walk back to the dorm. She refrained for fear that Ruby's strange mood and actions were her fault.

"Is… something wrong Ruby?" She asked the question in fear. Had she messed up this wonderful night somehow? Was it because of what she said? Was the kiss too aggressive? How could she have lost control and been so stupid!?

"N-no."

The answer could only have been worst if it had been yes. Ruby did not give one worded answers to questions. Quite the opposite. Something was very wrong, and it was clearly Blake's fault.

As the two neared the dorms in complete silence, Blake feared she would actually start to cry.

It had been such a beautiful storybook night. Possibly the best night of Blake's life. Then suddenly; for a reason that was surely her fault, but unknown to her, it had been cut short and ruined.

Entering the dorms and the moderately trafficked halls; Blake tighten her hands into fists. She couldn't control her Faunus ears from trying to flatten in depression on the top of her skull. The purple bow kept them from being able to, which just made the feeling worst.

Ruby fumble with the cardkey to open their room but managed. Walking inside Blake went to her and Yang's bunkbed and stood awkwardly for several moments. She turned with a hand clutching her adjacent arm across her stomach. A nervous habit she hadn't succumbed to in years.

"R-Ruby… please tell me what's wrong. I'm sorry if I did something… please just… talk to me."

Ruby stood by her and Weiss's own bunkbed. Blushing as she stripped out of her dress.

"N-nothing is wrong Blake! It's just…"

The dress dropped and pooled in scarlet around Ruby's feet. Leaving her in black and red lingerie. Her pale skin in stark contrast to the colors of passion and secrets.

"I asked Yang if she was expecting to… spend the entire night with her date. She said yeah… and I asked Nora if she could convince Weiss to spend the night at JNPR's.

Ruby turned on the table lamp of Weiss's "work desk" and turned off the main overhead lights of the room. Leaving the team-room darkened. She then nervously, but determinedly, took off her red and black panties and bra.

"Oh." Blake said stupidly, as a naked Ruby approached.

Blake stood in amazement as her mind struggled to processed if what was happening, was actually happening.

"I-Is this ok, Blake? I want tonight… to…"

Blake didn't remember undressing; but she would always remember grasping Ruby's small and perky breasts for the first time. Hearing Ruby moan her name for the first time. And giving into her desires for the younger human girl completely and fully, for the first time.

* * *

She hadn't known she could make such noises. Or that she could feel so wonderful from only the touches of another person.

Ruby continued to stroke Blake's ears. Her kitty ones. Naked and bare like the rest of her. They were soft and velvety. Ruby loved them. Like she loved the Faunus girl that she had shared so much with. Blake had made her a… "woman." There had been pain and fear, but it had been overtaken by pleasure and love.

Ruby felt like she was in a heavenly haze. Laying in Blake's bed; her lavender perfume surrounding. Blake's head was resting on her bare chest. Ruby at first thought that was a little strange considering Blake was bigger and taller than her. However, it seemed Blake loved having her ears touched and this was the best position for it.

The older girl was asleep. She purred in her sleep to. A sound Ruby hadn't known Blake could make; along with the other sounds that Blake had made when Ruby touched her the right way. She had whispered and moaned Ruby's name when they were making love. Nothing in the entire world had made Ruby feel so confident and sure of herself as when Blake called her name like that.

"I love you Blake." Ruby whispered to her.

She was sure now. Blake was the love of her life and this would always be one of the most important moments of her life. Everything was perfect… expect for one thing.

The scars.

Ruby hadn't been able to get very many good looks at them; but she had certainly felt them.

Lines of thin deep scars, all crisscrossed along the parts of Blake body that were the most delicate and precious. Ruby could only imagine that they came from sharp fingernails or claws.

Someone had hurt Blake. In a horrible way.

The thought haunted Ruby and kept her from succumbing to sleep and the afterglow of loving Blake.

"Who hurt you Blake?" Ruby whisper to the shadows of team RWBY'S room.

She had always known Blake had a hard life before Beacon. She hadn't known that someone had hurt Blake so severely. That she had been abused by someone in such a terrible way.

The reaper of Beacon sworn that night she would find out who had hurt Blake. The person that did, could only be a terrible and evil person. Ruby Rose was a Huntress, she fought and slayed evil creatures. And as far as she was concern; anyone that would hurt Blake, was no better than any other Grimm…

* * *

 **Hello all! I was able to sneak a chapter in. Thank you to ILikeHotDogs, CCstar01, Taichi-Doragon Tentei, and KHARAKI TAKAN. Thank you also to everyone who liked reviewed or followed the story. Sorry for the wait with the chapter. Sadly I still wont be able to get another one out anytime soon. I am pretty happy the story got this far and I've been waiting to write this chapter in particular for a long time. I hope it didn't disappoint.**


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